A Leap of Faith
by myula
Summary: Dr. Orihime Inoue's life is turned upside when Professor Ulquiorra Schiffer shows up in her emergency room. In the midst of a quarter-life crisis, Orihime tries to control her passion for Ulquiorra, support her friends, and figure out who she really is as a grown woman.
1. Chapter 1: The Return

Full Summary:

Dr. Orihime Inoue's life is turned upside when Ulquiorra shows up in her emergency room twelve years later. Deep in the midst of a quarter-life crisis, Orihime tries to make sense of her life, as her passion for Ulquiorra quickly spins out of control. She must come to learn that faith is not a decision based on evidence; it is a commitment made in the face of doubt.

This is a Ulquihime story, with a history of Ishihime and many other pairings that will slowly be revealed- a little something for everyone ;) Music guide and my author comments on each chapter at my livejournal: mmagnoliastorm-livejournal-com (replace the - with . )

I do not own Bleach, Mr. Tite Kubo does- this applies to the rest of the chapters as well. Feedback is much appreciated.

**A Leap of Faith**

**_Twelve years ago_**

_She had been waiting in Rangiku's quarters for what felt like forever. She felt like she was holding her breath the entire time. Please, please, please don't sentence them to death, please, please! She thought to herself. She sat crossed legged on the floor of the office, her eyes squeezed shut, her fingers crossed and up in the air, and her arms crossed._

"_What are you doing?" Rangiku inquired. She was suddenly standing behind Orihime, leaning over with a questioning look._

"_Gah!" Orihime startled. "Oh, hi! I was crossing my legs and my arms and my fingers and I'm even crossing my toes, but you can't see them cuz they're in my shoes," Orihime explained._

"_Silly girl! What will crossing your fingers and limbs do?" The blonde teased, but when she saw the worried look on Orihime's face she softened. "Whatever Central 46 decides, we'll all just have to accept it. We'll figure something out," The older woman gave Orihime a reassuring smile and she sat down on the floor next to her. Both of them were silent for a moment, but just that single pause felt too tense for Rangiku._

"_How about we distract ourselves so we're not thinking about it? …Say, you could help me with all this paper work I have to do! My Captain will be really mad if I don't get this done in today!" Rangiku's whining was interrupted but a loud knocking on the door. It was the messenger who had come to deliver news of the sentencing. Bowing very deeply he formally offered up the scroll of paper._

_It has been decided by Central 46 that the Espada will be drained of all powers, sealed away into human bodies and exiled to earth. The Espada will live the life of a normal human being. They will age as all humans do and die a human death._

_Elation had filled Orihime's heart. They weren't going to be executed! They would live! Orihime's face lit up with joy._

"_Hold on, Orihime. Unfortunately, part of the sentencing was that the Espada would all be placed in various cities far away from each other enough. I suppose it must be because they don't want the Espada to form a tight-knit group like the Visoreds."_

"_What? Why would they do that?" Orihime cried._

"_It might be to prevent them from working together and try gain some of powers back. They could work together over time like the Visoreds did and become a threat," Rangiku postulated, giving her friend a comforting hug._

"_It's also to prevent them from contacting any of you."_

_The two women turned around and saw the shadow of Rangiku's captain._

"_You and your friends would be better off not knowing where they are and not interfering with their lives," Captain Hitsugaya solemnly explained._

"_Wha! What makes you think we'd inter-" Orihime protested before Hitsugaya cut her off._

"_They won't need your help. They'll be set up with everything they need to live a normal human life, besides this isn't supposed to be easy for them. It's essentially a prolonged death sentence of the cruelest sort to have them live as humans after being such powerful arrancars. " He explained. Rangiku scowled at her Captain's lack of tact._

"_It's probably for the best, Orihime," Rangiku said softly._

"_But-"_

"_There's nothing you can do. Now, Matsumoto, where's that paper work I asked for?"_

_As the Captain and his Lieutenant bickered over paper work, Orihime frowned with consternation. How will they know how to live as humans? Would they know about cooking, and shopping, and taking out the trash, and going to school, and getting a job, and finding an apartment? Would they be alright? Would she even get to see them again? Would she see Ulquiorra again? Would she get to say good-bye at least? Orihime's head spun with question after question. She felt dizzy and the squabbling between Hitsugaya and Rangiku faded into the background._

"_Ulquiorra…" She said quietly and almost inaudibly to herself._

* * *

**Chapter 1: The Return**

**_Last week_**

Orihime walked quickly down the hospital hallway toward the ER. She wore dark green scrubs under her white coat. The pocket on the left side of the white coat had the Crest for St. Luke's hospital and Orihime's name, _Dr. Orihime Inoue_, embroidered in blue underneath it. As she pushed past the door of the ER and chaos hit her: woman crying, ambulance sirens ringing, nurses and doctors running back and forth. A fumbling intern in light green scrubs ran up to Orihime.

"What do we have?" Orihime asked calmly as she took the chart from the resident.

"Car accident caused by a drunk driver; the driver is dead. His car hit a minivan with a family in it. The drunk driver ran a red light and t-boned the driver's side of the minivan. Mom and dad are fine; dad's got a broken arm because he was driving the minivan. Their little girl was in the backseat of the minivan on the driver's side that was hit."

"Oh," Orihime said quietly as her eyes skimmed quickly over the notes on the chart.

"The two cars also rear-ended the minivan. The little girl's body took the brunt of it," The intern said chewing her lip as she followed Orihime into the small trauma room in the ER. There was a nurse administering an IV, a father sitting down with his arm in a sling, and a woman crying uncontrollably.

"My baby! My baby! Please, save my baby!" The woman cried. Orihime took one look at the little girl's body and understood why the woman was so hysterical. There was a lot of blood and bones showing where they shouldn't have been. The girl's eyes were closed, her pale face badly bruised, cut with glass, and parts of her skull on her forehead was showing. Orihime gave her orders to the nurse and her intern to prepare an OR. Then she walked over to the woman and put her hand on her should.

"What's your daughter's name?" Orihime asked. She already knew the name from looking at the chart, but it was always good to allow the parents to provide the information in situations like this. Providing the information gave the parents a purpose in a situation where they were powerless to do anything except rely on the doctors and nurses.

"L..Lilly," The woman answered, rubbing her red nose with an overly used Kleenex.

"I'm going to do everything that I can to save your daughter, Lilly, okay? I need you to believe in Lilly, believe in her strength. Believe that she can pull through this, okay?" As Orihime said this, she had wrapped an arm around the woman's shoulders and was slowly leading the woman out of the trauma room without the woman even noticing. The woman's glassy muddy-green eyes were fixated on Orihime and nodding. The father followed them out. The parents and Orihime paused outside the trauma room door.

"We're going to do everything…" Orihime began before she heard a loud steady BEEEEEPPP coming from the room. She rushed inside, and the parents quickly followed- the mom's crying and sobbing commencing again. As Orihime quickly began to do everything she was ever taught to do in a situation like this in order to save the little girl, her intern and nurse rushed into the room and sprang into action. Orihime pulled out the defibrillator and started charging it. At Orihime's command, the nurse was quickly setting up the tools needed to open the girl's chest right there on the table. The intern had grabbed a pair of scissors and was cutting open the already ripped and blood soaked dress the girl was wearing. Orihime called for another nurse to take the parents outside the room. No one was doing a very good job of keeping the parents out of the room.

Orihime worked quickly, skillfully; she had done this many times before. She had saved countless lives. She was one of the most promising trauma surgeons at St. Luke's hospital. All of her mentors and teachers commended her on her infallible surgical skills; she could work fastidiously, remain calm, take decisive actions when needed under pressure, and remain in the OR as long as necessary to save a life. While other doctors got tired and needed to be relieved, Orihime always kept going. But what made her extremely valued as a doctor was her ability to connect with her patients. She had a genuine, warm, and compassionate bedside manner that always played an important role in how her patients recovered.

All of this meant nothing right now though. The girl had flatlined. Orihime didn't notice how loud the mom was screaming. For some reason, sound was gone, and all she could see was this dead girl in her arms. She didn't notice when one of her emergency room colleague had come in.

"Inoue, she's gone. Call it," the doctor said, coldly. Orihime didn't respond, she simply held the child in her arms.

"Call it!" The doctor demanded.

When Orihime didn't respond, the doctor quickly said in an annoyed tone, "Time of death 5:55 PM." He scurried away.

The mom was still screaming in pain. The intern was trying to keep them away from the room. Orihime wanted to tell him to let the parents come in to say good bye. Orihime took a deep breath and leaned over, resting her forehead on the girl's shoulder. She reached over and placed her hand over the non-beating heart.

The poor intern was having a hard time dealing with the parents. He wasn't sure if he should let them in or not. What if he didn't and then they couldn't be there to say good bye to their daughter? But should he be letting them cry all over a dead body? Shouldn't they be calling for someone to come get the body? Despite his stream of thoughts, he noticed from the corner of his eye a golden glow coming from the trauma room. It looked like the rays of a glowing lamp almost, but it was dark in the trauma room and he couldn't see what was going on. Letting go of the parents, the intern stumbled over to the trauma room. A nurse and another intern also followed him. The doctor who had called the time of death also noticed the glow and was walking to the room. By the time they reached the room though, the glow was gone.

It was just Orihime, sitting on the chair next to the bed, her shoulders hunched over and her head bent so her bangs covered her eyes. She didn't look happy…she looked like a strange combination of tired or weak and unhappy. Orihime's hand was still holding the little girl's hand, and everyone heard a loud gasp come from the mother's mouth. The parents rushed to the bedside while Orihime's colleagues all stared at her: their faces were filled disbelief, shock, and confusion...but most of all, they were all scared. The little girl was sitting up in bed, her cheeks pink and her bright eyes blinking with confusion. The girl seemed okay somehow; she still had some of her bruises and cuts, but her most serious wounds had healed completely.

"W-what just happened?" The intern finally asked. No one answered. Orihime simply got up quickly and left the room.

She walked out of the ER and down the hospital corridor. Once she was a safe distance, she began to run. She ran as fast as she could to the stairs before taking them down into the basement of the hospital. There she collapsed underneath the stairs, and began to cry.

* * *

**_Today_**

"You paged me?" Orihime said as she walked into the ER. It was Wednesday night, although the clock ticking showed that it was actually 3:22 AM Thursday. It felt like what had happened had been weeks ago, not merely just last week. Everywhere she walked now, people stared at her and whispered behind her back. They said things like:

_Maybe she's a witch?_

_I heard she brought that little girl back from the dead!_

_How is that even possible?_

_What did she do?_

_She's always seemed really weird._

_I mean, look at what she eats at lunch._

_Yeah, she has always been a little bit off, I guess this shows it._

_She's some kind of freak._

Everyone had heard what had happened, and Orihime knew it was only a matter of time before she had to go face the chief to explain the events. They would suspend her until their investigation was over. Orihime didn't care about any of it: the administrators, her fellow doctors, the nurses and staff. The only thing she was upset about was that she had used her powers.

It had been years…years since she used her powers. She was surprised they still worked. She tucked a lock of her auburn hair behind her ear, her fingers briefly touching one of her hairpins. She wore her hair differently now, messy and twirled up into a bun. The hairpins helped keep the bun in place. She was disappointed in herself. She couldn't heal the girl by being a normal doctor. She had to use the powers. She had sworn to herself that she wouldn't use her powers as a doctor- it was unfair and unethical. She couldn't make decisions that only God could make. She had discussed this with her friends and Urahara so many times. They had all decided. They had all made a pact. It was over; they weren't going to use their powers anymore. They weren't allowed to anyways. Why did she fail herself and her friends now? What was it about that girl that made Orihime break down and crack under pressure?

Surprisingly the ER had been quiet all night. Orihime had been upstairs in her office going over some charts when she was paged to the ER. Her mind had been fuzzy since _the event_. No one was paging her lately because of the event.

_I don't feel like myself,_ Orihime thought.

"Sorry, Dr. Inoue, there wasn't anyone else on call and the other resident on call isn't answering his page," the young nurse said. Orihime gave the nurse a reassuring smile.

"It's okay….Delia, right?" Orihime always prided herself on remembering people's names. The young nurse nodded with a genuine shy smile. "So, what do we have?" Orihime asked as she followed the nurse over to one of the emergency room beds hidden behind a privacy curtain.

"Young male, 27 years old, head injury. He said he 'hit his head' on his desk after he bent over to pick up a pen." Delia explained skeptically as she handed Orihime the chart.

When Orihime had walked in, she had only noticed that the young man was wearing jeans, a pair of old sneakers, and a black t-shirt. It was only when she saw the name of the chart that her eyes turned into saucers and she was just barely able to suppress a gasp of surprise.

Ulquiorra sat on the hospital bed with his legs hanging off the side and his arms casually resting on the bed behind him. When he saw Orihime, he leaned even further back and tilted his head upward, assessing her. He narrowed his eyes for just a split second before returning to his plain but relaxed self.

"His name is Schiffer. Ulquiorra Schiffer.…" The nurse said before she was cut off.

"Schiffer," Orihime said reflexively. His name sounded foreign on her tongue. It had been so long since that name came out of her mouth. Sure, there was the occasional dream…but no one had talked about the Espada for so long, they had almost faded into nothing. Everyone had jobs, families, obligations; adult lives. The Espada seemed like a part of their youth that had been locked away. Sometimes Orihime wondered if he had been something she made up completely.

Her voice sounded just like he remembered, with its soft cheerful feminine tones- except, there was something new in her voice. There was a husky mature tone that was irresistibly sexy. The voice belonged to a woman, not the 16 year old girl Ulquiorra had once known.

"Oh do guys know each other?" The nurse said raising her eyebrows. She looked back and forth between Orihime and the patient.

"Yes…from a long time ago, from a completely different world," Orihime muttered as she stepped up to Ulquiorra and began examining his head wound. "Delia, could you go check on that patient in 405 and then get an MRI for Mr. Schiffer," Orihime asked absentedly.

She forced herself to focus on the head wound and not Ulquiorra, himself. It was what many doctors had to do in order to remain objective. She examined the injury, frowning at how extensive the head wound was; hitting one's head on a desk would not cause such damage.

Ulquiorra watched as Orihime examined him. He was inwardly amused with the seriousness and intensity of her gaze. Ulquiorra's eyes didn't leave her at any point during her examination. He looked her over and took her in. Her face maintained its youthful appearance, despite a few shadows underneath her eyes. Her hair was in a messy bun and she wore standard hospital scrubs with her white coat. Even if it wasn't intentional, she still had a healing affect on people just by being herself. She looked good, he thought, good but tired. The examination continued in silence until finally Orihime who broke the silence.

"So, I didn't know you had moved back here," Orihime commented, looking up and holding his gaze for a heartbeat._ His green eyes were always so unsettling,_ Orihime thought.

"I never lived here," he responded.

"Well, you know what I mean," Orihime said putting away the examining light and flashing Ulquiorra a coy smile. "I've heard some things about you."

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"You've been mainly living in New York City and England, right?"

"I guess, off and on," he said. She stared at him with her piercing grey eyes, encouraging him to expand upon his answer. He sighed, finally looking away from her. She saw a flash of fatigue and indifference in his eyes.

"I've lived other places too," he managed to add.

"So what brings you here?" She asked casually, leaning against the sink counter. Somewhere in the tiniest corner of her heart she wondered if perhaps she had anything to do with his return. She had to admit to herself: something about being so close to him after all these years made her giddy- giddy, but extremely nervous as well.

"An award," he said simply, his tone not giving away the slightest hint of emotion.

When she didn't say anything except stare at him with those large doe-like eyes, he sighed once more and explained.

"There's going to be a banquet, ceremony, they give me the award: the usual charade."

"Wow, congratulations!" She said, smiling brightly.

"It's nothing," he said quietly, looking down at his shoes.

"What do you mean? You're getting an award, which must mean you're just as successful as the newspapers say."

"You've been reading about me?" He inquired; something inside him lurched to attention.

"Well…I mean, just every now and then…I see something. It's not like I follow all of your stories," Orihime scrambled quickly, feeling flustered. She blushed thinking to herself, _you're such stalker, Orihime!_

He noticed her face getting pink, and awarded her with a short dry laugh. Orihime blinked several times trying to determine if she had really just heard Ulquiorra Schiffer…laugh.

"I'm not saving lives," he countered.

She froze. His words stung her as she remembered how she had saved the life of the little girl named Lilly.

Ulquiorra noticed to change in her demeanor immediately, but couldn't decipher the source of her distress. Orihime looked serious and distracted for a moment, but then, like a small cloud passing over the sun, she smiled again. She blinked and returned to her usual self.

Orihime snapped out of her darker thoughts and took off her gloves. She was frustrated that she let him see her mood slip like that. Normally, she was much more composed. The event with Lilly had affected her too much.

"Well, what you do sounds like fun," she said, turning around to wash her hands in the sink.

"Hardly," he said, his voice returning to its emotionless dry tone.

"What do you mean?" Orihime asked as she dried her hands and walked over to stand by him.

"It's a long story," he said shortly, indicating his refusal to say more. Eyeing him speculatively, she noticed his body appeared more relaxed than what she would have expected. His forearms and biceps were well toned. His face was pale but healthy. He still seemed detached and his voice was dry with inherent sarcasm.

"I see…" Orihime said thoughtfully, resisting the incredible urge to pry more into his life. Before she could decide what to say next, Delia returned.

"I checked on 405 and finished the charting. Are we ready to take him to the MRI?" She asked Orihime.

"That will not be necessary," Ulquiorra said quickly before Orihime could answer. He hopped off the table. "I am fine."

"No, I can't let you leave in your condition. You might have a concussion," Orihime said with concern.

"If I do have one, I am just supposed to not fall asleep or something, right?" He said dismissively. "Don't worry, that will not be a problem."

_What's that supposed to mean? What else would he be doing if he's not sleeping?_ Orihime thought, before berating herself for putting her mind where it didn't belong.

"Doctor Inoue, if it pleases you, you may write me prescription for some pain medication but honestly, I feel fine and I have to go. The only reason why I ended up here was because the cops who arrested the guy who punched me required that I come by and be inspected. I am not hiding any fatal wounds, I promise."

"Hey! That's not what you said happened!" Delia cried out in protest.

He started walking away.

"Just tell the policemen in the waiting room that I am fine. I will sign whatever you want me to so that you do not get in trouble if I fall over die," he said dryly.

"Don't joke about dying," Orihime snapped, surprising both of them and the nurse.

Ulquiorra frowned at the sudden change in tone.

"It's not funny." Orihime added more softly.

Ulquiorra paused and gave her a thoughtful look. It was that thoughtful look that was Orihime's undoing. It seemed for a moment he was actually considering her...considering her because she was now a part of his life again.

"Ugh! Fine, I'll write you a prescription," she gave in. "But you better come back if anything changes within the next twenty-four hours: any sudden flashes of light, dizziness, confusion, forgetfulness. And make a follow-up appointment with your primary care physician." She scribbled her signature on the pad of paper and handed it to him.

"Thank you, Dr. Inoue," he said in a low and quiet way that made Orihime think of darker things. His emerald green eyes held her grey ones until she shivered. When she looked away from him, he took the prescription and shoved it in his back pocket.

Parting the privacy curtain to leave, he said "It was good to see you again."

He gave her one last glance over his shoulder before disappearing behind the curtain.

Orihime stood where she was in shock, wondering if he really meant what he had just said.

* * *

It was around 5:00 PM on Friday when Orihime headed out of the hospital for home. It was raining and dark out for November. The chilly air threatened to turn the rain into sleet. Orihime buttoned up her black rain trench coat before tying the belt around her waist. While her raincoat was keeping her dry, her silly purple wool bucket hat did nothing to keep her hair from getting wet. She skipped over puddles and walked carefully to her car. _It's definitely getting cold_, Orihime thought to herself as she searched her messenger bag for her keys. Her gloves kept her fingers warm, but they made it harder for her to feel around in her bag for her keys. She pushed past some medical documents, past her empty tupperware that had held her lunch, past her water bottle, past the uneatened orange she had brought for a snack, past several old gum wrappers, past a lipstick that was probably about a year old, before finally finding her keys.

"Ugh! Brrr!" She said out loud to herself as she opened her car. She shoved her bag onto the passenger seat and started the car engine. While she let it run for a few minutes to warm up, she took off her soppy wool hat. She knew it would get smelly later from getting wet. Looking at it disapprovingly she picked at the little flower décor on the side of the rim. It was about to fall off. She had had this hat for too long, except she couldn't bring herself to get rid of it because of the person who had given it to her. She knew if she took it to him, he'd probably fix it right away for her. She could probably fix it herself but, for some reason, had no inclination to.

"I'm just letting it fall apart," she said in a soft, but bitter voice. Staring at the hat, her eyes grew sad and her heart heavy. Too much had happened in the past week. First the incident with her reviving the girl, and then the drama of the rumors and speculations that followed her around the hospital, and then….Ulquiorra.

"Ugh!" Orihime moaned, leaning over and resting her head on the steering wheel. She closed her eyes, and blindly reached over to turn on the heater. It starting blowing cold air. She knew, given about an hour, it would eventually turn into warm air. The old damn thing was also falling apart. With another sigh, she sat up and backed up car up and started her drive home.

She flipped on her windshield wipers and frowned with dismay when she noticed that the edge of the right windshield wiper was torn and flopping uselessly back and forth. _At least it's not the left one on the driver's side_, she thought, pulling onto one of the main roads that would take her through the center of town to the lower east side where her apartment was. She tried so hard to get an apartment that was closer to the hospital, but she couldn't afford any of them at her current salary. At least her commutes were usually quiet and uneventful. Her random and irregular doctor's schedule kept her from having to drive during rush hour. Today, however, she had gotten out just in time to join the massive force of workers trying to get home.

She was so tired, and her mind was completely somewhere else. The rush hour traffic was requiring a lot of attention from her: people braking suddenly, cars cutting in front of her, a tow truck that was pulling a van that was going too slow, an old lady who nearly hit Orihime's car when she made a wide right turn. Orihime, a girl who was known for her patience, just did not have the patience for the traffic today. She let out another groan as she pulled onto the next main road. It was the only route to get to her apartment, thanks to all the construction that was constantly going on in the city. She could see ahead of her the traffic being locked tight for blocks and blocks. Somewhere in a distance she heard sirens.

"Oh great," she said to herself, putting her car in park instead of bothering to hold her foot on the brake. It was clear she wasn't getting anywhere soon. People began honking their car horns impatiently and some cars started trying to make u-turns in order to take another route. The rain wasn't letting up either; in fact, just as Orihime had noticed the sudden severity of the rain, it started pouring buckets. She had already put her windshield wipers on the fastest speed, and it was doing little good. She huddled in her cold car, looking around at the gridlock she had found herself in. _How did I get here?_ The random thought past through her mind without her even consciously thinking it. Orihime looked around at her surroundings, dark tall grey buildings, tightly packed together, people with their umbrellas, raincoats, goulashes rushing back and forth from the Friday evening business. The city was cold and merciless. Orihime's sad eyes looked down at the wet hat sitting next to her in the car. _How did I get so unhappy?_ She secretly asked the hat.

"Ugh, stop being so depressed, Orihime!" She said, berating herself out loud. She needed to do something to get herself out of this funk. She had the weekend off; she should be planning something relaxing or exciting, or maybe relaxing and exciting. She shifted around in her car seat and, with great difficulty because of her seatbelt, pulled out her cell phone. The first person she thought to call was Tatsuki, but as her thumb moved over to the speed dial button for her best friend she remembered that Tatsuki was out of town. She was coaching the nearby university's women's soccer team and they were at an away championship game. _I probably shouldn't bother her_, she thought. She looked over at the hat again. She knew the next person she wanted to see….be with, talk to, laugh with.

"I shouldn't," she said looking at the hat. Images of the past year flew through her head: confusion, pain, regret, guilt. Yet, she needed him. He was the only person who could comfort her right now. Orihime pursed her lips, deciding she was going to go see him.

She put her car in reverse, and slowly inched backward, paying close attention to how much distance there was between her car and the car behind her. The driver of the car did not look happy but also backed up a little to give her room. When she finally had created enough space in front of her car, she turned her steering wheel all the way to the right and pulled illegally into the bike/bus lane. She zoomed quickly past all the parked cars, ignoring the angry honking. Making the first right turn, she set out on a different route to a very different part of town to go see Uryuu Ishida.


	2. Chapter 2: The Hat

A/N: No, this is not a IshiHime fic. Ulquiorra will be the main love interest of Orihime for the duration of this story :) Just in case you are panicked by the interactions between Ishida and Orihime in this chapter.

**Chapter 2: The Hat**

The route to Uryuu's house took her out of the city proper's limits, past the surrounding suburbs, and into the country side. It wasn't too long of a drive, but the house was secluded from the main city. She pulled onto an unmarked paved side street. The narrow road was unlit and flanked on either side by dark woods. It curved around what started as a small hill and turned slowly into a steep granite cliff. The final turns of the street were incredibly steep. She didn't notice herself holding her breath, but Orihime found herself feeling scared about her poor old car's ability to go up such steep turns with the cold rain that might be turning in to sleet soon.

By the time she couldn't hold her breath any longer, and she exhaled loudly she reached the main driveway of the house. It was a wide, paved, and long driveway that led into a double garage. The house itself, hung onto the side of the granite cliff, and glowed with the small lawn lamps that lit the walkway to the front door. Orihime smiled at the house. Because it sat so high on the hill and on the side of the granite, she could easily see it from far away if she was in the right part town. She parked her car and grabbed only her keys and the hat, which she threw on her head right away once she got out of the car. The rain and let up a little bit, but it was very windy this high up on the hill. The rain came at her from all different directions and, as Orihime pocketed her keys in her trench coat, she had to hold onto her hat to keep it from flying off her head. The wind whipped her bright auburn hair around her face, its tips getting wet from the rain. The weather made Orihime had to squint to see clearly in the dark driveway, but she could have found her way to the door even if she were blindfolded. She scurried up the steps lit by the small lawn lamps. When she was safely in the shelter of the veranda, she brushed her now soaking wet hair away from her face and adjusted the hat on her head. As she lifted her finger to ring the doorbell, she paused, suddenly becoming self-conscious about her appearance. She hadn't had enough sleep for the past two weeks, her hair was unwashed and a wet mess, she wasn't wearing any make up, and her clothes consisted of a plain burgundy long sleeve shirt, that she liked to wear because it usually fit neatly underneath her scrubs, and a pair of old faded jeans, the bottom half frayed from wear and washes. Orihime bit her lip looking herself over before scolding herself for bothering to even care. Why should it matter what she looks like now? It's not like they were dating anymore.

She rang the doorbell impatiently as a sudden gust of wind made her shiver. She shuffled her feet back and forth waiting for a reply. After what felt like an eternity, she rang the doorbell again and waited. The wind was howling for her to get inside, but no one seemed to be answering. She walked over to the thick fogged window next to the door and peered through. There weren't any lights on. Orihime had assumed that Uryuu would be home. He usually didn't work late on Fridays and he always kept his cars in the garage. Orihime took a step back from the house so she could see its entirety. There were no lights on except for a few small glows that probably came from a lamp or a computer screen left on. She frowned, disappointed that it was clear he wasn't home. Dejectedly she walked back to her car, not caring now about getting wet or the cold. She grabbed her hat halfway to the car and pulled it off forcefully out of bitterness.

When she got back inside her car and started the engine, she threw the hat in the backseat, not wanting to see it now. She sat for a moment in her parked car, engine running, and fans blowing hot air finally. Was he avoiding her? She had tried calling a few times. It had been so long since they'd seen each other and the last time they saw each other, he had rushed away so quickly she didn't even have a chance to ask how he was doing. These thoughts made her sad, so she pushed them aside, put her car in drive, and started home. _At least by now the traffic won't be so bad_, she thought.

She drove well over the speed limit to get home. Despite the heat finally working, she was in wet clothes with wet hair and was starting to shiver. To distract herself from darker thoughts, she turned on the radio; a peppy pop song sung by a woman with a sultry voice came on singing about "the games love plays on us." When she finally got back into town, she was glad to see that the traffic had indeed let up.

As she followed the usual route back home, she thought about seeing Ulquiorra again. She always thought he was kind of cute, but now…as a human adult he was incredibly handsome. He still had the same startling intense green eyes, framed by thick eyelashes that any woman would be jealous of, and his hair hung a little bit shorter than she remembered but still was long and sloppy enough to get into his eyes. He had an aura about him that some men seemed to have that said: I don't care about anything- which only makes a woman want to make him care even more. He…he made her feel excited, giddy in fact. She smiled to herself as she stopped at a red light, now tapping her fingers on the steering wheel to the upbeat music from the radio. She wanted to talk to _someone_ about seeing him and it burned to not have someone to tell. She looked at what street she was on: Emerson Drive. The driver behind her honked his horn when the light turned green and Orihime was still staring at the street sign. _Why not?_ She thought, and quickly made an illegal right turn from the left turn lane. More cars honked. Today was not her safest driving day.

She drove up Emerson Drive which led to the outskirts of the city on the opposite side of town from her apartment. The tall dark closely spaced buildings gave way slowly to green grass and newly built stores and homes that did not go with the older darker parts of the city. The road soon became a boulevard, with grassy medians dividing the street and arching brass street lights. This was the newest part of town where most of the development of the city was taking place. Companies were establishing another stronghold in this part of town. Their buildings were large, warehouse-like, and looked so new they seemed to be fake plastic models instead of anything real. She pulled up to a large glass building designed to look like some kind of hexagon from the street. She parked in what she hoped would be a legal parking spot, and got out of her car, pulling the hat from the back of her car and sticking it on her head. It was still rainy steadily, except there was no howling wind here and the time spent in her car had warmed her up and even started drying parts of her hair, which unfortunately made it nothing but frizzy. Running quickly up the newly cemented sidewalk, past beautifully manicured lawns, and past a large sign that said "Ishida Healthcare," Orihime hoped her instincts had been right. She hoped that she would find Uryuu here. As if answering her question, she saw a tall dark figure leaning against a column in the front of the building. Yay! She thought as she skipped over to where he stood, underneath a protective glass pedestrian overpass. He gave her a keen look as he blew out smoke from his cigarette.

"Hi, Uryuu!" She said with what she considered half genuine and half fake cheerfulness.

"Inoue," he acknowledge, his face revealing nothing as he continued to smoke his cigarette. He called her Inoue last time she saw him as well. It hurt that he no longer would say her name, though she understood he was trying put a distance between them.

"I was hoping you'd be here," she said breathlessly as she leaned next to the wall opposite from him. "I went to your house, but no one was there. Where's your father?"

"We moved him to a hospice house near here. It's very nice, they try to make it feel like a real home and not a hospital," he explained. Orihime's eyes softened with worry at the news.

"Is he getting worse?" She whispered.

"They give him about a month," he said, taking another drag and keeping his eyes averted.

"Why are you smoking again?" She asked dryly, her eyes following the cigarette as it moved up to his mouth and back down again. She resisted the urge to fan the smoke away from her face.

"Why does it matter?" He countered. Orihime started to say that she was worried about him and that she cared, but she stopped herself. "What do you want, Inoue?" He asked briskly.

"A-are you working late?" She asked, trying to buy time to build her case for seeing him. He could hear the hope in her voice.

"I'm working late every night now. More and more of the responsibilities of running his company are falling on me now," Uryuu said, looking away from her and rubbing the back of his aching neck. He had a hard time looking at her face without wanting to give her whatever it was she had come looking for.

Orihime's heart ached for Uryuu. She knew how much he longed to please his father, how devastating it was to see his father dying, how stressed he must be feeling having to deal with so much new stuff that he had never studied or even been interested in. She wanted to give him a hug and hold him and let him cry on her shoulder. But he would not do that now.

"I miss you," she confessed. He looked startled at first and dropped his cigarette. Stepping on it and putting out the last spark, he didn't respond right away to her statement, and so she continued. "I miss you, Uryuu. I miss talking to you, telling you about my day, eating Thai food with you, hearing about your father." Still no response from him; he kept his gaze focused on the buckle of her coat, instead of looking at her.

"You're my best friend, Uryuu," she pleaded at last.

He finally looked at her with sad eyes and said, "I'm not your best friend."

"Tatsuki is always gone traveling with her team. I get a phone like once every two weeks and when we do talk, we barely have time to really talk," she paused, taking a moment to slow herself down. "You know more about my life than anyone else right now," she said in an almost whisper. He seemed to be struggling to decide what to do, his eyes, looking past her at the rain before meet her gaze again.

"Let's get you out of this wet rain," he said, straightening up and leading her inside. She followed him, walking a little bit behind him but still close enough to see the side of his face. He looked so tired. Why was everyone in this world so tired? Was adult life wearing all of them out? Orihime wished for younger days when she was perhaps…20 and only cared about going to rock concerts, dancing at the local bar, and gossiping with girlfriends. That was almost seven years ago though, which for some reason seemed like an eternity.

They walked inside the ghostly empty building, their footsteps echoing across the otherwise silent lobby. Most of the main lights had been turned off, except for a few accent lights over potted plant trees, large murals and painted signs. He took her silently over to the elevator, where a soft _ping_ of a noise indicated that it was already waiting for them. When the elevator doors opened, Uryuu put out a hand holding the door open and allowing her to walk in first. He was always gentleman, thoughtful, kind, honest, and loyal. It broke her heart as much as it did his when she told him she couldn't marry him.

She gave him a reassuring smile as he stepped into the elevator after her. Uryuu gave her a half smile, which made Orihime feel about twenty times better. Hitting the button for the 11th floor, Uryuu said, "The upside is that my father's meticulous work habits have left behind very orderly documents that are easy for me to deal with, except for the fact that there's so much of it."

"Don't you have an office full of secretaries to do that for you?" She teased him, trying to ease the tension.

"They're called administrative assistants, and yes, I do have a good army of them- although, most of them are pretty useless," he said, giving a short laugh that told Orihime he was relaxing. _His laugh is nothing like Ulquiorra's laugh_, Orihime thought distractedly.

"Well there is only one Uryuu," she smiled, remembering to take off her hat. He looked down at it, and gently took it from her.

"This old thing is getting so tattered," he frowned. "I can fix it for you, if you want…" He offered hesitantly, looking up at her with hopeful blue eyes. Orihime hesitated for a moment; she didn't want to give him the wrong idea. Uryuu was always offering to do things for her: pick up dinner for her, fix whatever around her apartment was broken, watching her favorite shows that he absolutely hated, and even offered to replace her old broken car with a new one. Sometimes she feared she let him do too much.

"Yeah…that would be great," she finally said and instantly was rewarded with his full genuine smile.

"I can't believe you still wear it. I remember when I first made this for you," he twirled the hat around his index finger. The elevator doors opened and they walked into a hallway with walls completely constructed out of glass. Every perfectly organized and clean office was visible, including the main office they walked into. Orihime was glad when she saw there were blinds that were pulled up that could be released to give some privacy into the office. _How horrible would it be to never have any privacy? What if you were taking a personal phone call, or wanted to change shirts, or picked your nose? No one wants to see that,_ Orihime thought.

"I'm sorry this place is such a mess. It's kind of been chaos lately around here," Uryuu said feeling extremely embarrassed.

"Oh, this place looks great!" Orihime reassured him as they went over to settle down in the little lounge made up of a glass coffee table, black leather and chrome love seat and a black leather club chair. Uryuu took the club chair immediately, dispelling any anxiousness Orihime had been feeling about having to sit in close proximity to each other.

It was so odd…how could two people be so comfortable with each other and still feel so awkward? _This awkwardness is totally my fault,_ Orihime thought. He had always been there on and off through college as she dated him occasionally. But she also dated other guys. If he got jealous, he hid it very well and expressed nothing but a desire to give her what she needed, even if it was freedom. He waited patiently while she fought through med school and listened to her when she complained about her classes and comforted her when she lost her first patient. He had been her first…

"Have you had dinner?" He asked, disrupting her from her thoughts. He was getting up shortly after having just sat down. Orihime sat on the edge of the leather love seat feeling too stiff to sit back and fully relax. "Here, let me take your wet coat. Are you cold? I might have a blanket around here somewhere." He was never overly eager and he was never overwhelming. Even now, his sentences and questions flowed with the steady pace of an old friend and not an anxious ex-lover.

"No, I haven't had dinner. I'm actually starving!" She said, her tummy growling in agreement. He laughed as he took her coat from her.

"Your stomach always speaks its mind," he said hanging up her coat and walking over to the desk. Uryuu pulled out a number of take-out menus. "We have….many choices. Unfortunately, late nights usually means no time to cook."

"Well, obviously you've been missing my homemade red-bean paste bread," Orihime said laughing. She remembered how sick it made him the last time she made it for him.

"Mmm…" His politeness did not allow him to comment. He showed her a fan of several takeout menus, "Your choice."

"Hmmm," Orihime said looking at the array. She closed her eyes and randomly picked one of the menus. "Haha, it looks like we're having Mexican food from Taco Palace."

"Hey, don't hate on Taco Palace. They have excellent fajitas." He responded. As they discussed their menu choices, Orihime couldn't help but slowly melt into the comfort of a familiar routine. When he went to go call in the order, she stood up and took the time to check out the rest of the office. Most of the stuff belonged to Uryuu's father, file cabinets, medical journals, fiscal reports, reference books on every subject related to healthcare equipment and business management. A very convincing and realistic fake plant sat in the corner. In a far corner of the office, between the glass window and the last book shelf, Orihime found a sterling silver picture frame of Uryuu and his father on his college graduation day. Both men had on a reserved smile for the camera, but Orihime knew the Ishidas: those smiles actually showed both men's extreme joy on that day. It made Orihime smile to just look at the photo.

"Hey, the food will be here in about twenty minutes. But I actually have to take this business phone call…you don't mind do you?" He asked, hiding his anxiousness.

"Oh no, not at all. Do you want me to wait outside or in another office?"

"No, that's not necessary. But you might want to refrain from any loud yelling or screaming while I'm on the phone," he said casually with a half-smile over his shoulder as he returned his attention to whoever had called him. Oh, how she had missed this familiarity, this comfort! Everything felt so good between them. She hoped it would stay like this. _Maybe this is a sign that we can put all that stuff behind us and just be friends now?_She thought. But a small part of her knew better. It would be a long time before things would be completely okay between them. She had broken his heart and it was clear from the way he looked at her now that his feelings had not changed.

Things were perfect between them. They were the perfect couple. Everyone they knew said so. Tatsuki said she had a bachelorette party already planned (this was before he actually proposed though). Orihime couldn't deny how good things were between them. His unassuming and patient love soothed a cold part of her that had been present for most of her life. That cold part came from years of living alone, being more independent than anyone could have ever guessed, and from keeping herself personally locked away. Sure, she had close friends, but there was a reason why she had never been able to get a roommate, no matter how many times Tatsuki pleaded or Rukia implied for her to be a roommate. She never lived any boyfriend and she never owned any pets. Ishida was the only boy she had ever actually said 'I love you' to (at least the only boy who had been awake when she said it to him), and even that kind of intimate confession was difficult for her. People assumed her open and honest heart meant that she would let anyone inside, and that just wasn't the case.

She returned to the lounge area and sat back down on the love seat. Uryuu's voice was low and quiet and Orihime could barely discern what they were saying. Absentmindedly, she picked up one of the random magazines on the coffee table and flipped through it without actually looking at anything in it. This entire room screamed of Ryuuken, except for Uryuu's briefcase that was on the floor leaning against a leg of the coffee table. A devious little smile came on Orihime's face and she dropped the magazine and pondered if he still carried…she gave a quick glance at Uryuu who was talking away with his back to her. As fast as she could, she prided open the briefcase and stuck her hand inside feeling around for…_Aha! Found it!_She thought as she pulled out his small sewing kit. She quickly stuffed it back in the briefcase before Uryuu could turn around and catch her snooping where she shouldn't be. She giggled inside of her head. Uryuu_is still_Uryuu_. Dependable but…_she thought at first and then tried desperately to not follow that thought with the word 'predictable.'

Uryuu_is a wonderful man, and someday he is going to make some lucky girl out there very happy,_ Orihime thought to herself, _she just isn't me._There were so many things she loved about him. She loved the gentle smile he always gave her when they woke up. She loved how he was never crabby in the morning. She loved all the sewing they did together, although in the past few years that rarely ever happened because of their busy schedules. She loved how he was never late and when he was he'd call her and tell her first. She loved how he knew her so well that he would dog-ear pages in the newspaper or in magazines with stories he knew she'd enjoy. And while other people (cough, kurosaki) would get annoyed when Uryuu took it upon himself to give an extensive explanation of something, Orihime would take in every detail he shared with genuine interest. She loved how _smart_ he was, loved how he could just state random facts of trivia off the top of his head whenever it pertained to whatever show they were watching on TV. She loved how she could never win when they played scrabble.

Lowering her eyes so she couldn't see him, Orihime thought about the way she had loved the way he made love to her. She loved the attention he gave her, the thoroughness of his love making, and that flash of need that she'd see in his eyes that betrayed all the darker passions he wanted to do to her. She loved how he never let sex get boring and, although there times where she thought some of his suggestions were a little ridiculous (wear bunny ears?), she always appreciated his efforts to try something new. She loved how he always tried to make her orgasm first before he did (what woman wouldn't love that?) even if sometimes she didn't care about orgasming. She particularly loved that time when he had tied her to a chair, with her hands behind her back, blindfolded her, and then proceeded to use his mouth on every possible part of her body.

Oh, there were so many things to love about Uryuu Ishida.

So why couldn't she make herself say 'yes' when he got down on one knee and presented her with the world's most beautiful diamond?

"Sorry about that," Uryuu said sitting down in the arm chair and putting down the bag of takeout food. Orihime snapped out of her day dream, nearly jumping at hearing Uryuu's voice.

"When did the food get here?" Orihime asked in confusion.

"Somewhere between the end of my phone call and your day dreaming," he said wryly, pulling out the food and laying it out on the coffee table.

"Oh, sorry about that," Orihime said, blushing in embarrassment.

"Don't worry," he gave a quick laugh. "I'm used to you occasionally zoning out of this planet."

"It's a good thing you don't hold it against me," she said with a smiling as she reached over for her fajita salad.

"How could I?"

"I don't know," she said hesitantly, thinking to herself, _you certainly don't have a problem holding other things against me._They ate in silence for a few moments, both of them starving and eating faster than they realized. Outside the storm had ended creating an eerie silence compared to the previously whistling of wind and tapping of rain. As Orihime opened her bottled water and regarded Uryuu, she felt guilty. It seemed she was the one who couldn't move past their relationship, he seemed to actually be doing fine right now. Clearing her throat, she vowed to start a new page with Uryuu. They may have to rebuild parts of their friendship that their romantic relationship and breakup had destroyed, but it could be done. He was still important to her.

"Are you alright?" Uryuu asked, raising an eyebrow at her clearing her throat. "Is the food okay? It's not as warm as it should be since it took so long to get here."

"Oh it's fine! It's a fajita salad; it doesn't need to be warm to be yummy!" Orihime said, taking a sip of her water.

"Haha, that's good. We wouldn't want you fainting in the middle of surgery out of starvation."

Orihime frowned at that comment, feeling a heaviness growing in her chest. Uryuu noticed the change in Orihime's mood instantly. It had always been easy for him to read her emotions when many others only saw the happy cheerful Orihime. She wasn't doing well; he could tell from the moment she showed up, but he didn't want to address it quite yet because he knew it meant bringing up the broken engagement. But this frown on her face now, he could tell was because of something else.

"What's the matter, Inoue?" He asked softly. Orihime looked up at him with heavy grey eyes that wanted to cry but couldn't. Uryuu reached over and put his hand over hers, which were currently fisted at her side. Orihime took a deep sigh before explaining what had happened with Lilly in the emergency the other day. Uryuu listened patiently, frowning slightly with attention as she told her story.

"That ridiculous," he said sharply. "There's no way they can suspend you for that. On what grounds?"

"I don't know…I suppose for practicing unconventional methods of medicine not approved by the board certification."

"You saved a life. They should be grateful to even have you working there," Uryuu said firmly. He was annoyed beyond words, but his calm firm words revealed a mature control that he had spent years cultivating. "We'll get you a lawyer. We can fight this and win. They have no reason or evidence against you."

"No, please don't do that. Nothing official has happened yet. Let's just wait and see…"

Uryuu sighed. "Alright, but please keep me posted on what's going on. My father knows more about hospital administration than anyone in the world and he still has a lot of influence. A phone from Ryuuken Ishida's son might dissuade them."

"Thank you, Uryuu." She smiled gratefully at him. "I'll let you know what happens. Let's just wait and see for now. It's possible this will go away on its own."

"Okay." He said softly, picking at what was left of his dinner.

"Do you think…" She started hesitantly, "Do you think Soul Society might find out about this?"

"I highly doubt it. They haven't cared about us for years, and this poses no threat to them," he said confidently.

"Yeah, I know it's been a while since we've had anything to do with them. But we all agreed to retire and let the new shinigami's do the work. In fact, we're forbidden to use our powers without their approval."

"Inoue, they have no sovereignty over us," he bristled. "Especially me. The Quincys do not serve Soul Society." Orihime still had a worried look on her face.

"It's going to be alright."

"No…I mean yes, I know things will be probably work out, but…but something else has happened recently."

"Oh?" He raised his eyebrows, surprised. _Poor Inoue, she's had so much going on. I've been really selfish by staying mad at her._ He swallowed guiltily.

"I saw Ulquiorra…"

Uryuu's mouth dropped open. He quickly closed it, putting himself in check. She told the story of how she encountered Ulquiorra that night in the emergency room. He watched her carefully as she told the story. Her eyes never met his once. She spoke fast, almost like she was out of breath. Something was…different about her. He didn't know how to react. As she told the story with great emotion, he was frantically trying to assess how he felt about the situation and what he should do.

"…So I don't know what to think. I mean, what do you think this might mean? Do you think the others might be around as well? Do you think he knows about all of us living in this city? He must have known, right? How could he not?"

"Inoue, I don't think you should make a big fuss out of this," he said standing up stiffly. He started cleaning up their empty food containers in order to distract himself. "Like he said, he's here on business. He probably isn't going to be staying very long. I'm also sure the university here is going to be really excited to have the foremost scholar in his field visit."

"But-"

"If you were worried about getting in trouble with Soul Society, this is what you should be worried about. We were explicitly told to stay away from them and let them live their lives."

"Well, it's not like I went out looking for him. He just showed up one night with a really bad head wound."

"Inoue, leave him be." He walked away from her and threw away the left over trash, and for a moment he stood there, facing the window and looking out into the darkness. Orihime couldn't see his face, but she saw his reflection in the glass window. His face looked dark and unreasonable in the harsh shadows of the reflection.

"Alright," she said softly, giving up on the topic. She was a little upset and disappointed with him. She thought he would actually discuss this with her, and the way he cut her off without even asking how she felt about the situation kind of hurt her.

"We should get going. I was planning on stopping by the hospice house to check on him." He said turning around, pausing for a moment as if waiting for her to catch up to where he was.

"Do you want me to go you with? Because I can-"

"No. No, thank you. He's probably going to be sleeping and the house keeps very strict rules about visitors after hours and keeping the house quiet." Uryuu pushed his glasses back in place.

"Oh, alright. But I would like to see him sometime," she said, standing up and reaching for her coat.

"I'm sure we could arrange that," he said, putting on his wool blazer. The two gathered their belongings as they prepared to leave the office. Uryuu made sure to lock the doors and set the alarm codes. Neither of them noticed the still damp purple hat that sat on the floor by the coffee table as they walked out. They both stayed silent on the elevator ride down. Things felt awkward again.

It was warmer out when they stepped outside and walked down the street. There was a lingering slight breeze, but the air felt humid with the leftovers of the storm. The research triangle of buildings stood dark and stoic in the night. They reached the end of the walkway and Orihime finally paused and looked directly at Uryuu.

"Thank you for dinner," she said. "It was really nice to talk again."

"Yes, it was nice." He said, his face not revealing much emotion.

"Maybe…maybe I'll see you at Ichigo and Rukia's baby shower?"

"Maybe. I'll see if my schedule permits it. Otherwise, I'll just send a present. No one will miss me," Uryuu said casually.

"That's not true. Ichigo and Rukia want you there. I know they sent you an invitation and they wouldn't have sent you one if they didn't want to see you."

"I suspect Ichigo's sisters probably had something to do with the shower planning and invitations."

"I'm sure Ichigo and Rukia had to give a guest list to them," Orihime pressed.

"Well, whatever. We'll see if I can make it," he said, his hand in his pocket jingled his keys anxiously.

"Okay. Well…bye Uryuu. It was so good to see you." She said, giving him a warm smile of regret. He waited a heartbeat, looking at her thoughtfully as if he wasn't sure whether she meant it or not.

"It was good to see you too, Inoue." He finally said. Orihime could by the tone of his voice and the look in his eyes that he really meant it, and her smiled widened, losing the doubt it had hidden.

"Good-bye, Ishida." She said as she turned to walk to her car. He didn't miss the change in what she called him, but he simply turned around heading to his car as well.

"Good-bye, Inoue."


	3. Chapter 3: The Cake

**Chapter 3: The Cake**

Her alarm woke her up. The buzzing of the little machine on her nightstand was irritating her more and more and for some completely irrational reason she was hoping that it would turn itself off. Still half asleep, she reached over blindly and felt around her nightstand: glasses, novel, earrings, pager, lotion bottle- ah finally the cell phone!

_Big crisis with the cookies. Could you pick up the cake for me? Thanks!_

"Ugh…" She moaned with dread when she saw the text message. She got up and dragged herself over to her bathroom. She usually was the morning type, springing out of bed ready to take on the day, but this morning she wanted to sleep in. For a couple of extra hours, she wanted to stay in dream land and forget her reality.

Pulling off her oversized t-shirt and taking off her shorts and underwear, she turned on the shower to a scalding hot temperature before stepping in. She cringed at how hot it was at first, but as her body adjusted to the temperature the hot water became soothing. It was amazing how disappointment could feel like such a hangover. She knew that she shouldn't feel so disappointed- no, maybe she was just feeling depressed. The little bathroom soon was filled with steam and her mind went over the meeting from the previous day.

"_Thank you, Dr. Inoue for meeting with us on such short notice. I think you know why we've called you here today." Dr. Whitmore said, his face as stoic as possible. For a man of 32, he was very young to be chief of staff and he knew this. As a result, he felt he had to make up for it in other ways: always wearing a tie and nice collared shirt with his white coat, always keeping a serious face, trying to always speak an octave lower than his usual voice when giving orders, and never giving out favors or cutting anyone any slack- even if they were a startlingly beautiful and talented surgeon. But for some reason, he couldn't help but run his hand through his quickly thinning hair whenever he saw her or look in a passing window to make sure his tie wasn't crooked when he knew he would by passing her office. These little unconscious habits of his irritated him quite a bit, which often made him much snappier to Dr. Inoue than he ever meant to be._

"_No, I don't Dr. Whitmore. Please explain to me," Orihime said with a deadpan face. If they were really doing this to her, then she definitely wanted to make them as uncomfortable as possible. Dr. Whitmore cleared his throat nervously._

"_Uh- well, this is in regards to what happened last week with a patient…" Dr. Whitmore pulled on his reading glasses and looked quickly at the report in front of him, "A Lily Evans, age 6, brought in after a car accident with severe trauma to the head and several other injuries that resulted in multi-organ failure, including the stopping of her heart for several seconds before you 'revived' her." Orihime's lips tightened, but otherwise her face remained serene._

"_I see…go on," Orihime said._

"_It's been decided that we're going to have to suspend you while we conduct an investigation into what happened. You'll take a leave of absence taken out of your vacation days. Then we will reconvene after the investigation has finished and make a decision about how to best proceed."_

"_This happened a week ago, what took so long?" Orihime asked, irritation starting to boil inside her._

"_Well, things have been busy lately. We had to wrap up a couple of other investigations not pertaining to your case before we could take on this one."_

"_Well, I'm glad you could make some time for me," Orihime muttered in an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_I think what Dr. Inoue means is that she's thankful that you will be working so hard to clear her name so that she can return to doing what she does best, saving lives." Dr. Charles intervened, placing a reassuring hand on Orihime's shoulder. Dr. Charles was a much older attending in the Emergency and Trauma department who was sympathetic to Orihime's case. He had been the one to recommend that they hire her._

"_We'll be in touch, Dr. Inoue," Dr. Whitmore said shortly, effectively dismissing her. Orihime wanted to remain angry, or irritated, or indignant but she couldn't. Her irritation was slowly melting away into devastation and anxiety. She stood up and muttered a quick thank you before leaving the office as quickly as possible. She wasn't going to give that jerk Dr. Whitmore the satisfaction of seeing her cry._

"_Dr. Inoue!" Dr. Charles said with clear worry in his voice. But she was already long gone._

And so she was on a leave of absence until the stick-up-his-ass Dr. Whitmore and his team decided she was fit to be a practicing doctor again. The thought of her fate being in the hands of someone so clueless made her extremely anxious. With the leave of absence, she had more time than ever to sit around and ruminate over her actions and its possible consequences.

Orihime started to get dress quickly when she was finally out of the shower. She threw on a long dark maroon sweater dress, black tights, and a pair of brown suede knee-high boots. She considered putting on a strand of white pearls, but decided against it when she remembered who had given it to her as a present on their anniversary last year. Instead she settled for a pair of crystal rose stud earrings. She ran leave-in conditioner and styling cream through her damp hair in an attempt to tame the inevitable frizzy hair that resulted from the dry cold air, and then blew dry her hair until it was soft, shiny, and bouncing. After taking a quick peak outside and noticing the threatening grey clouds, she settled for wearing her rain trench coat again clouds. She donned a black knit beret and a matching black cashmere scarf. Feeling anxious about the time, She gathered her purse, along with a box wrapped in teddy-bear patterned wrapping paper and a pink bow, and her keys before rushing out the door.

She was blessed with moderate Saturday morning traffic as she drove downtown. Yuzu had been the one to request that she pick up the cake for Rukia's baby shower that afternoon in addition to the other errands Orihime had been asked to run that morning for the party. She easily found a parking spot in the area of downtown that had been restored to its original historic beauty. The curved street lamps were encircled with garland and red ribbon in anticipation of the upcoming holidays, the small locally owned shops had blinking Christmas lights, and shoppers rushed in and out of stores hoping to get their business done before it started to rain again. The air was cold enough to see her breath, and Orihime was thankful she had decided on the beret and scarf.

Orihime heard the chiming of her cell phone and she rummaged through her purse for it. "Come on, come on!" She rushed herself, hoping to get to the phone before the person gave up. "Ha! Yes! Hello?"

"Hi Orihime! How are you doing?"

"Haha, hi Yuzu. I'm doing good, how are you? How's all the set up going?"

"Oh just fine…the cookies ended up burning when dad forgot to keep an eye on them and so I'm making ANOTHER batch," Yuzu said sweetly without a hint of annoyance in her voice at her father's absentmindedness. "I just wanted to make sure that you remembered to get the donuts in addition to the flowers."

"Yes, I remember. Don't worry, I'll have them in no time."

"Okay! Great. Can't wait to see you!"

"Can't wait to see you too…ah, Yuzu?"

"Yes?"

"Do you know if…if Uryuu is coming?"

"Mr. Ishida? I believe so…he called yesterday asking if there was anything else he could get for Rukia and Ichigo since everything on their registry had been bought- so I guess that means he must becoming."

"Hmm…ok. Well, I won't keep you any longer. You probably have a million things to do before people start showing up," Orihime said thoughtfully, _that doesn't mean he's coming for sure, afterall, he could just have wanted to simply send a present in his absence._

"Haha! You're telling me! I've still got to put up all the decorations, and set out the chairs, and put out all the plates for the food, and make sure the ice sculpture gets here in time, and…"

"Ah…I get it, hahaha. It's alright, Yuzu. It's going to be an amazing party, I know it!" Orihime couldn't help but smile to herself as she walked down the crowded sidewalk. Yuzu was the most thoughtful and caring little sister. It made her wish she had a little sister as well.

"I really really hope so, Orihime! I really want Ichigo and Rukia to have the best baby shower ever." Orihime could hear the anxiety in the young girl's voice.

"They'll have a good time even if the cake falls on the floor, the ice sculpture melts, and the streamers and balloons all fall down."

"AH! Don't say that! You'll jinx everything!"

"See you in a few hours, Yuzu!" Orihime chimed before hanging up. Everything was going to be perfect; Orihime knew this with certainty, not only because young Yuzu had grown up to be quite the perfectionist but also because she knew the girl had an army of people to help her with everything. Orihime suddenly felt excited and happy thinking about all the people she would get to see at the shower: Rukia, Ichigo, Chad, and even Tatsuki had flown in for the party. Who cares if Uryuu came as well? This party was for Rukia and Ichigo and their baby. Uryuu and Orihime could figure out how to set aside their issues so everyone could enjoy the party without any awkwardness.

Orihime managed to pick up the flowers, donuts, and was walking out of the bakery with the cake in her hands. The flowers and donuts were in a canvas bag that hung around Orihime's left arm in order to free her hands to hold onto the large cake. It was rectangular and huge, approximately fifteen inches by twelve inches, and had a picture of a stork carrying a baby in a satchel with the words "Congratulations Rukia and Ichigo! Welcome Baby Kuchiki-Kurosaki!" in large blue and pink, alternating, letters. At the bottom of the cake was a row of delicate yellow flowers that went around the entire cake and the top of the cake was dusted with fine pink and yellow eatable glitter. Orihime couldn't help but smile at the cake when she saw it. Clearly, Yuzu had been trying to keep the cake as gender neutral was possible since no one knew what the sex of the baby was yet.

Orihime was watching very carefully where she stepped and was even walking as close to the curb as possible in order to avoid running into people. The streets had cleared a bit by then, but there was still quite a bit of people rushing about. Even though the cake was covered by a protective plastic dome, Orihime wanted to get it back to her car before it started raining. It had started to sprinkle earlier when Orihime had been in one of the shops, but now it was gone leaving puddles and wet sidewalks as the only evidence of the rain.

The cold air was beginning to create a few slippery spots here and there, and as Orihime's right foot stepped on a completely innocent looking icy spot on the sidewalk, she slipped forward, tripping on her left foot and falling over. It all happened so quickly! Yet as Orihime slid on the ice and starting falling, the cake seemed to fly up in slow motion and her grey eyes could only follow its trajectory helplessly as she let out a silent scream of horror. Without realizing where she was falling, Orihime's face suddenly smashed into an unsuspecting bystander's chest as the cake landed on the wet sidewalk with a loud SPLAT!

The momentum of her fall nearly took out the innocent bystander if not for the fact that he was clearly much taller and sturdier than her; however, he was still thrown off balance for a brief moment and both of them clung to each other in order to maintain balance and save their poor butts from joining the flattened cake on the wet sidewalk.

"Oh, my god! Oh my god! I'm so sorry, sir!" She cried as she tried to regain her balance. She helplessly held onto him and as she looked up and saw who she had managed to run into, the fallen cake became the last thing on her mind. There in the middle of a crowded street on a cold December morning, Orihime found herself clutching Ulquiorra. His intense green eyes were wide shock as they stared down at her before glancing over briefly at the smashed cake. Orihime quickly let go of his arms as she tried to maintain her dignity.

"I'm so sorry!" Orihime apologized again breathlessly. Strangers passing by walked around the two of them with sympathetic glances at the smashed cake. Orihime paid no attention to the scene she had caused. For a moment, Orihime and Ulquiorra simply stood there silently, stunned and staring at each other. The cake did not exist in this moment for Orihime. She wanted to say something calm and cool, appear as casual as possible, but her mind could not process words and her muscles seemed frozen.

"It appears you will have to get a new cake," he said, finally breaking the silence. Although his face remained completely emotionless, his twinkling green eyes belied his amusement.

"I'm so sorry," was all Orihime could manage to say in return.

"It is alright," he said slowly, taking in a breath and adjusting his black overcoat and dark green scarf. "It could have been worse. You and I might be the ones on the floor with the cake or the cake could be on our coats instead."

"I'm so sorry."

Ulquiorra tilted his head to the side as he regarded Orihime. Her large grey eyes pleaded with remorse and her cute little nose and cheeks were pink from the cold air…or from embarrassment…or from both. In the middle of the dark grey Saturday morning, she managed to look bright and fresh with her auburn hair fanning out against her dark trench coat, her fair and smooth skin flushed with color. Noticing her lush pink lips pouting, he took pity on her and decided he had to do something.

"I will buy you another cake," he said simply.

"No, you don't have to do that." She laughed nervously. "It was completely my fault. I'm so clumsy and I wasn't paying any attention. I should have been looking ahead and not at my shoes."

"Let me buy you another cake," he said with a very serious face. His voice was low, dark, and…for some reason, familiar. All Orihime could do was stare helpless at his handsome face and his dark emerald eyes. A slight wind had picked up and it blew his long dark hair against his face. He looked like a dream, a figment of Orihime's imagination. This couldn't possibly be happening. Why did he look so _good_?

Ulquiorra glanced down at the cake and then back at Orihime, and then at the cake again. He did this a few times, trying to hint that she should return her attention to the cake instead of staring at him the way she was at that moment- it was making him rather uncomfortable.

"Where is the cake from?" He asked.

"It's from…from…uhm…" Orihime tried to remember where it was from. As she fumbled for an answer, he stepped over to the sad pile of remaining cake and pulled to the side the piece of cardboard on the bent plastic covering that said, "Margene's Bakery, 222 Franklin Avenue"

"Margene's bakery. Let's go," he said, and when she did not move, he simply grabbed her arm and dragged her along.

"Thank you," she said helplessly as she tried to catch up to him so he wasn't dragging her behind him.

"It is nothing." He said quietly, eyeing her. As they walked down the sidewalk silently, Orihime noticed that he seemed rather rushed. She had been so shocked to have run into him, literally, that she didn't even think that she might be holding him up.

"Look, I really don't want to keep you. You don't have to get the cake for me. It was my fault so I'll get it. You probably have more important things to do somewhere else."

"Are you trying to get rid of me, Dr. Inoue?"

"No, it's just….I don't want you to feel obligated."

"I do not."

"I can pay for the new cake."

"I am paying for the cake, woman. Now stop arguing with me." He said sharply. Orihime shut her mouth. She didn't want to annoy him anymore than she had already.

"Okay…" She said meekly. He eyed her lowered eyes, her gold lashes batted a few times and he thought he saw tears starting to form. He let out a frustrated sigh.

"I want to buy you a new cake."

Orihime gave him a confused look.

"It would make me feel better, Dr. Inoue, if you would let me buy you a new cake." He said firmly.

She managed to squeak out a quiet, "Okay."

"Good." He said simply. Orihime watched him as they made their way through the crowded streets toward the bakery. He looked much more put together than he had when he had shown up at her emergency room. He wore a black wool overcoat with a green scarf tied at his neck and tucked neatly inside the coat. He had on black dress pants with shiny black leather shoes.

"Are you headed somewhere important today?" She asked curiously.

"Why do you ask that?" He glanced at her.

"I dunno…you look really nice."

He smirked, "Do not all professionals dress neatly?"

"I wear scrubs all day," she pointed out.

"I suppose you have a point."

They continued walking in silence for awhile. Orihime searched for something to say to keep the conversation going. It felt too awkward to not be saying anything.

"Did you get your award yet?" She asked. He looked at her again with questioning green eyes. Why was she so chatty?

"No. The university will be giving out the award at a fundraiser tonight."

"Oh! That sounds like fun," she said. He kept his eyes ahead of him, but a corner of his lips curved.

"Why does everything sound 'fun' to you?" He inquired.

"I dunno…I suppose things easily sound fun to me because I don't get out very often," she said and continued when he gave her a questioning look. "Well I'm still a young doctor and new to the hospital, so I work a lot of hours over long shifts- sometimes for twelve hours straight. And when I get home, I'm exhausted and I don't have much energy to do anything else."

"So, that is all you do with your time? Work?"

"Pretty much."

"Do you not have friends that you see regularly?"

"Oh, yes…well. It's different now," she said; he noticed her voice drifting off into a quieter somber tone.

"How so?" He was confused. She had always been surrounded by friends. By her very cheerful and open nature, it was easy for her to draw people's attentions.

"I don't know. You should know…I mean everyone has jobs now that they're very dedicated to. Tatsuki is always traveling because she coaches the University's women's soccer team and so I don't get to see her much. And Uryuu has been busy taking care of his sick father and trying to run a business that he's unfamiliar with and so he's always busy. And Rukia and Ichigo live far out in the suburbs and…they have their own private life. I always feel like I'm interfering or bothering people so I tend to keep to myself," she confessed. Why _did I just tell him all that? Jesus, I have word vomit today,_Orihime scolded herself.

"Oh," he replied.

"Do you…have friends?" She asked.

"No." He stated.

"Really? None?"

"Yes."

"So what do you do what all _your_ time?"

"Just as you do, I work a lot. I travel. I eat. I exercise. I read. All the things you humans do to amuse yourselves."

"You're human too," she pointed out. He glanced briefly at her but otherwise did not answer.

"Do you date?" She asked, blushing at her audacity.

"No."

"Not at all?" She asked, shocked. He sighed at her skeptical tone.

"If you are trying to asking if I have sexual intercourse, then yes I do."

"Really?"

The woman was starting to get on his nerves.

"Yes," he said through clenched teeth. "I happen to enjoy the female form quite a bit." He was met with a shy giggle. All sorts of dirty thoughts flashed through Orihime's mind as she felt butterflies in her stomach.

"Oh, well, I haven't had the chance to enjoy the male form in quite some time," she said playfully. His green eyes regarded her speculatively.

"I find that hard to believe."

"Unfortunately it's true."

"Does that bother you?" He asked curiously.

She paused for a moment and thought to herself. "Sometimes, I guess."

"Sometimes?"

"Well you know, there are nights…" Her grey eyes shifted and met his, "You know, nights where one feels particularly lonely and then…it might be nice to have someone." Her gaze lingered meaningfully.

"This is it."

"Huh?" She said, hanging on his every word.

"This is the bakery, is it not?" He stated monotonously, as if bored with their conversation. "It says Margene's bakery on the window."

"Yes," Orihime said quickly, pressing her lips together. He didn't need to get all smart on her. As they stepped into the deliciously sweet smelling bakery, a little bell rang. The two walked over to the counter and waited for someone to come out. Christmas jazz music played softly and quiet conversation from people sitting and drinking coffee hummed through the air. The entire back wall of the bakery was real red restored brick and had black and white photographs of various subjects framed. Each dark wooden table was set with peppermint smelling candles and a single pink rose in a thin glass vase. People dressed in thick sweaters and winter boots ate pastries, read books or socialized. Some simply sat by the window watching the Christmas shoppers walk by.

As they waited at the counter, Orihime pulled out her cell phone and looked at the time. Her grey eyes widened with shock: The baby shower was supposed to start in ten minutes! Orihime saw a bell sitting by the cash registered and she hit it several times, the bell chiming and echoing throughout the relatively quiet bakery. The noise startled a few costumers while it simply annoyed others; some nearby customers shot Orihime a nasty look. Ulquiorra rolled his eyes, embarrassed at the woman's lack of decorum.

When Ulquiorra turned and raised his eyebrows at her, she explained, "I'm going to be late for the baby shower and I was supposed to bring the cake!"

"Bon jour!" A cheerful large woman said as she came out from black swinging doors. She wore a dirty apron and a large smile as she approached the couple.

"Hi, I was just here like twenty minutes ago. I picked up the cake for the baby shower."

"Ah yes, for Kurosaki." The baker said.

"Well you see, I've kind of had an accident and I need another cake right away."

"Well, Miss, it will take another day for a cake to be made that is custom like what was ordered," the baker said apologetically. A sigh of distress came out of Orihime's mouth.

"What am I going to do? Yuzu is going to kill me!" Orihime said blinking furiously, feeling tears coming on.

"What cakes do you have available right now?" Ulquiorra said after noticing Orihime distress.

"We have five different cakes available in the case over here," the baker pointed to several blank cakes of varying colors and shapes.

"How long will it take you to put some lettering on one of those cakes right now?" Ulquiorra took charge of the situation, hoping to move things on more quickly.

"Oh…I don't know…"

"I will pay whatever." Ulquiorra said in a low voice.

"Oh, well in the case. Maybe fifteen minutes?" The baker said cheerfully.

"Great. Get it done. The sooner you finish the bigger your tip." Ulquiorra said before turning to Orihime, "What did the cake say before?"

"Uh…uhm, it said 'Congratulations Rukia and Ichigo' and then 'Welcome Baby Kuchiki-Kurosaki' both of those greetings with an exclamation mark."

"Alright, I'll get that to you as soon as I can. How about I get you two some nice hot coffee on the house and you sit tight while I get that cake for you. Which cake do you want?"

"Uh…the biggest one possible, I guess" Orihime said, trying to process everything that was happening.

"Great!" The woman said as she poured to cups of black steaming coffee and set them on the counter for Ulquiorra and Orihime before sliding the door open and pulling out a large rectangular shape, similar in size to the previous cake.

Ulquiorra picked up one of the cups of coffee and handed it to Orihime before picking up his cup. He made his way to an open table in the back of the bakery near an open fire. Orihime had no choice but to follow him, her coffee's steam streaming behind her. They settled into lush leather chairs and set their coffee cups on the table. The wooden table's top was worn with time and wear. Various etchings and scribbles with pens and knives scattered over the table top; some of the etchings declared love for individuals, others simply scribbled unreadable insignias, political commentary, and inevitable vulgar slangs. Orihime started to pour cream into her cup from the miniature pitcher on the table and followed it with a couple of cubes of sugar. Ulquiorra simply drank his coffee completely black while keeping his intense green stare on Orihime.

"No sugar for you, huh?" Orihime said, offering a smile.

"I find that sugar distorts the true flavor of the coffee. Cream and sugar should only be used when the coffee is unbearable," he said plainly.

"So you don't like sweet things huh?" Orihime teased.

"I like sweet things," he said taking a sip of his coffee, his unwavering green gaze never leaving her sparkling grey ones. "I like them when the time is appropriate and then…"

"Then?"

"Then, I like to take my time and savor it." He said in a quiet and low voice that made Orihime want to squirm in her seat. She took a deep breath, trying to clear her head.

"How's your head injury doing?"

"Just fine."

"Can I look at it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because I just told you that it is not bothering me." He stated.

"Oh, alright, I was just concerned," she said rolling her eyes. Drinking her coffee and sitting by the fireplace was making her extremely warm. She took off her scarf and then unbelted her coat before pulling it off as well. Ulquiorra's eyes followed her movements and lingered appreciatively when he saw how her sweater dress clung to her luscious curves.

"What are you looking at?" She said with a shy smile, feeling his eyes on her.

"You."

"Uh…okay. Let me know when you're done," she said lightly.

"I will," he said simply, drinking his coffee and continuing to watch her. The fire casted a soft warm glow over her auburn hair and her cheeks were rosy from the heat of the fire. Her clear grey eyes sparkled in the light and the smile on her moist lips somehow made him long for certain things that he hadn't wanted in a while.

"So where were you off to this morning?" She asked, hoping to distract him from staring at her.

"A meeting," he said in a straight tone.

"What kind of meeting?"

"How long has it been since you've been with a man?" He asked, learning forward and resting his elbows on the table. Orihime nearly choked on her coffee.

"Excuse me?"

"You said it's been some time since you've been with a man sexually. How long has it been?" He said simply, as if this were the equivalent of asking about the weather. Orihime coughed and cleared her throat, looking away from him and over at the counter. Where was that cake?

"I don't…think that's any of your business," she said awkwardly.

"You were the one who had offered that piece of information, but I can see that it has been a long time." He said; his eyes were smug. Orihime felt the blood drain in her body.

"Excuse me! It has not-" She cried indignantly trying to protect her pride. She was silenced though when he reached out with his hand and ran a finger down the curve of her smooth cheek. Orihime froze, her eyes locked with his intense green eyes. And as his cold finger stroked down her warm cheek, and she swore she felt like he was stroking her neck, the back of her knees, the arch of her foot, the curve of her hip, the insides of her thighs, and any other part of her that could be turned on by a mere touch. Her breath was lost for a moment, as the grey in her eyes darkened and she lowered her eyes from his intense green stare in order to compose herself.

"Yoooohooo!" The baker chimed out to them. "Your cake is ready!" And just like that, Ulquiorra retracted his hand and stood up as if nothing had just happened. Orihime fumbled with her scarf and coat while Ulquiorra went to the counter and paid for the cake. By the time Orihime had finally gotten ready to return to the cold outside, Ulquiorra already had the beautiful cake in the plastic protective box and was waiting for her patiently by the door. With one hand holding the cake, Ulquiorra opened the door for Orihime with his other hand and waited as she stepped out of the bakery first. Orihime mumbled a thank you as she stepped out into the suddenly brighter outside.

"I'll take the cake, thank you," Orihime said, turning around and facing him once he had stepped outside as well.

"Nonsense, I will walk you to your car," he stated.

"Alright." She said and started walking to her car. Orihime nervously twisted her canvas bag and her purse in her hands as they walked silence. The clouds had cleared a bit and a few rays of sunshine peaked out from the clouds, brightening up the sidewalks. The cool air felt refreshing to Orihime after being in the stuffy bakery. She sneaked a glance at Ulquiorra as they walked. His face looked calm but revealed little else of what he was feeling or thinking. After tonight, he would be leaving the city and she would never get to see him again; and for some reason that thought made her chest ache. His return to her life had been the only spark of excitement she'd felt in a long time. Even now, as they walked to her car she was dreading the moment they arrived at her car and she would have to say good bye to him. Unconsciously she slowed her pace, but Ulquiorra continued his steady pace. When he realized that she was no longer at his side, he paused and turned around, giving her a questioning look.

"Is everything okay?" He asked.

"No…yes," she said shaking her head. "Everything's fine. I was just trying to think about whether I had forgotten anything else."

"We should get you to your car if you are already late for the party," he said. Orihime thought she saw a flash of sympathy in his eyes. She quickly caught up to where Ulquiorra was waiting for her before they resumed their walk.

Before long, they saw her little light blue 1992 convertible Saab. Its top was on and she was slightly embarrassed at its rusted state, but Orihime loved how she could take down the top in the summer and drive through the country side with the wind in her hair. When they reached the car she pulled out her keys and opened the passenger side door, placing her canvas bag and purse on the car seat before turning around to Ulquiorra. She took the cake from him and carefully placed it on the floor of the passenger side to keep it from sliding back and forth dangerously.

"Thank you again for doing this, Ulquiorra. It wasn't necessary," she said, keeping her eyes on her boots and fidgeting with her hands.

"It was nothing. Please give my congratulations to Kurosaki and Kuchiki," he said; the touch of kindness in his voice made Orihime look up into his startling intense green eyes. She was continuously surprised at its mercurial and expressive nature. Though his other facial features rarely ever betrayed his feelings, his eyes were always honest.

"Would you like to come?" Orihime blurted out. She gasped and covered her mouth in her shock at her sudden invitation. Her widened eyes of shock made Ulquiorra want to laugh at her; it was too easy to find her amusing sometimes.

"I am afraid I will have to decline. I have my meeting to get to and….ah, I do not believe that I would be welcomed at this party," he said looking away from her.

"Oh, okay," she said; words could not express the heaviness of the disappointment that had dropped into the pit of her stomach when he declined. A slow numbing feeling started to seep into her. He could clearly see the disappointment on her face and for some reason it made him feel antsy. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, keeping his gaze away from her sweet face. After a heart's beat of silence, Orihime felt the need to wrap up this good-bye. She wanted to get going before she lost any more of her dignity.

"Well, it was really wonderful to see you again. I'm glad we got to…talk a bit before you left town," she said, begging silently for him to look at her.

"Yes." He said, still unable to look at her.

"Good luck, with your awards and career and…stuff," she said lamely. When he finally looked up at her with the full force of his piercing green eyes, she took a sharp breath of the cold air.

"Good-bye, Dr. Inoue."

"Good-bye," she whispered and turned away from him. She stepped around the puddles in the gutter of the street and skipped over some dirty slush before getting to the driver side of her car. She opened her car door and stood there, giving him one last smile before disappearing inside her car.

Once she was seated in her car, she put on her seat belt and started the car. _Don't look at him. Don't look back him. Just get out of here before you decide to kidnap him._She started her car engine, and began to back out of her parallel parked spot. _You are so pathetic, Orihime, asking him to come to the party just so you can keep him in your life a little bit longer._ As she pulled out of her parking spot she saw him standing there on the sidewalk. When she knew him in her youth, she had thought him to be cute and churlish. But as a grown man, he looked regal and austere and…devastatingly handsome. Orihime kept her eyes in front of her and focused on her driving in order to keep herself from melting in her car seat.

She eased her car to the end of the block where she waited at a red light. She forced herself to keep staring ahead. If she turned around and saw that look on his face, she would end up missing the baby shower. She was already half an hour late and she prayed she could come up with a good excuse. She shivered in her cold car, wishing that there was a way she could fix her heater without having to pay a fortune. A loud tapping on her window made her slightly jump. Turning to look out her foggy passenger side window, she saw Ulquiorra waiting patiently for her attention. She opened her window for him.

"Hi," she said, surprised.

"I was wondering if you would do me the pleasure of attending the fundraiser tonight with me." The way he asked the question sounded more like a statement than a request. Orihime's heart leaped into her throat, unable to give a response. The car behind Orihime honked loudly since the light had turned green.

"As my date…" He clarified in a flat tone, but his kind eyes asked politely on his behalf and Orihime couldn't say no.

"Ah, sure- I'd love to," she said, giving him a bright smile that made him feel weak.

"I will contact you later with the details. Have a good day, Dr. Inoue," he said, giving her a nod and a ghost of a smile (anyone who didn't know him would not have even detected it) before turning and leaving. Orihime nodded in return as she closed her window and Ulquiorra stepped away from her car.

Hearing another angry honk from the cars lined up behind her, Orihime stepped on the gas and headed toward the baby shower. On the way to Rukia and Ichigo's house, Orihime could not stop smiling. She was gleeful, excited, and nervous; she was on cloud nine. For the first time in months, she felt like herself again.


	4. Chapter 4: The Baby Shower

**Chapter 4: The Baby Shower**

The length of the drive to Rukia and Ichigo's house always surprised Orihime. Despite it being in a suburb of the city, the twists and turns of suburbia managed to feel like the world's longest maze that she'd never be able to escape. What made it worse was the fact that all the houses looked so similar. For a while it had been easy to spot their house since Ichigo's father put up a large KUROSAKI sign on their mailbox, but that was eventually taken down when Byakuya expressed his disapproval of the Kurosaki name dominating the mailbox.

When Orihime finally reached the front door of the Kuchiki-Kurosaki residence, she was forty-five minutes late. She was still feeling high from her encounter with Ulquiorra and that sweet feeling kept her guilt and mortification of being so late at bay. She rang the doorbell and waited a moment before it open. She found herself staring into the chest of a tall man in a black dress shirt, black pants and black shoes. Gulping she looked up into the handsome face of Byakuya Kuchiki. He wasn't wearing his kenseikan, but that did not stop him from emitting an air nobility. Orihime gulped loudly.

"Hi, Mr. Kuchiki," Orihime said, eyes wide with the attention one gives a teacher who is about to give out disciplinary orders.

"Miss Inoue," he greeted politely, stepping to the side for her to enter. Orihime stepped in, her arms full of party material. She had managed to balance the cake successfully on top of the baby shower present box while the canvas bag full of donuts and flowers and her purse hung around her right arm. Always the gentleman, Byakuya took the cake and the birthday present from Orihime, relieving her from her dangerous balancing act.

"Oh, good! You're here! I'm so glad you made it. We were starting to worry something happened to you," Yuzu greeted Orihime with a bright and cheerful smile. With her arms now free, Orihime wrapped her arms around Yuzu giving her a tight hug.

"I'm so sorry Yuzu! I had a huge accident with the cake. I'm such a klutz. I slipped on an icy spot and the poor cake got completely smushed," Orihime explained apologetically. Yuzu hugged Orihime back before standing on her tip toes to see what the cake looked like in Byakuya's arms.

"It's okay, Orihime. No harm done. We're just glad you made it." Yuzu said smiling. "Could you put that on the table where they belong?" She asked Byakuya sweetly.

"Certainly," he said as he passed the ladies into the main part of the house.

"You must be freezing. It's supposed to snow. Let me take your coat," Yuzu said, always the perfect host.

"Thanks, Yuzu. Yes, it was clearing up for a moment, but now it looks like it wants to rain or snow again," Orihime said with a sigh as she passed her coat and scarf to Yuzu.

"Is that who I think I hear?" A voice came from behind Yuzu. Orihime screeched with delight when she heard the voice.

"Tatsuki!" Orihime cheered as she leaped over to her best friend and practically tackled the girl with a big bear hug.

"Ack!" Tatsuki said as she laughed, hugging Orihime back.

"We were starting to think you had lost your way here," Ichigo said as he and Rukia stepped up behind Tatsuki. Orihime doled out her hugs and greetings as the gang gathered. Since Rukia was well into her eighth month of pregnancy, her belly overwhelmed her small petite frame. It didn't stop her from happily squishing Orihime with her large belly as she gave her friend a hug and kiss on the cheek. Rukia was practically glowing with happiness from being surrounded by so many people she loved, and Ichigo also had an uncharacteristically goofy smile plastered on his face.

"Come in, come in. We were all just socializing and eating away. We were going to start opening presents soon," Rukia said as she ushered everybody into the large family room. Chad, Renji, Isshin, and Karin were all either standing by or sitting on the overstuffed blue-grey couches and chairs.

"Welcome Ms. Inoue!" Isshin cheered loudly. "I'm glad you could make it to my grandchild's party!"

"Hi Mr. Kurosaki," Orihime said laughing at the old man, before looking at Ichigo and whispering, "Is he drunk?"

"No, just excited," said an unenthusiastic Ichigo, clearly embarrassed by his father. Two tables pushed against the wall held cookies, a cheese and crackers plate, sliced fruit, salsa and chips, chicken wings, and what looked like chappie-shaped marshmallows. The food all circled an ice sculpture of a stork nestled in a crest of greens, clearly meant for the salad. Another table on an adjacent wall was piled with presents in various colorful wrapping paper and bows. The entire family room was decorated with blue and yellow streamers, silver balloons, and little metallic blue and yellow stars that hung from the ceiling. Yuzu had clearly gone all out. Orihime glanced quickly around the room and didn't spot Uryuu. _I guess he couldn't make it_, Orihime thought to herself.

"Alright everyone, it's present time!" Yuzu cheered as everyone gathered. Isshin disappeared in a hallway and brought out a large wicker chair with a flowered patterned cushion on the seat.

"The daughter-in-law of honor sits here," he quipped cheerfully.

"Where am I supposed to sit?" Ichigo frowned.

"You can sit on the floor," Isshin said blindly as he helped his daughter-in-law into the seat of honor. Everyone settled around Rukia's throne. Chad and Renji managed to take up the entire couch, forcing Karin to take the chair. Isshin and Byakuya simply stood to the side. Tatsuki had sat down on the carpet near Karin's chair, and so Orihime moved over and sat next to her best friend. Ichigo settled for sitting at Rukia's feet on the soft carpet.

"Sorry I had to take that call guys. That was my father," Uryuu said as he walked into the room from the nearby kitchen. Orihime looked up quickly at him. He wore a white collared shirt and a pair of dark denim jeans. He quickly gave Orihime a half smile of acknowledgement before sitting down on one of the arms of the couch.

"How's your father doing?" Isshin asked, sounding surprisingly concerned.

"He's fine, grouchy as ever," Uryuu said dismissively, not wanting to go further into the topic.

"Alright everyone, we're going to open each present one at a time so that we can all see what Rukia and Ichigo got," Yuzu explained as she picked up the first present from the table.

"I had one hell of time finding a present," Renji complained. "Everything on the registry was already taken!"

"I know!" Tatsuki cried, "And I looked early too because I knew that I wouldn't be in town for the few weeks before this party."

"Well I'm glad it wasn't just me," Uryuu said.

"Uhm…I think Mr. Kuchiki had something to do with that," Karin said in her most deadpan voice as she pointed to a pile of presents in the corner. In the corner of the room next to the fire place was a large pile of presents perfectly wrapped in silver paper with the most intricate and immaculate bows and decorations.

"You bought everything you could on the damn registry didn't you?" Isshin accused Byakuya.

"It's not my fault that everyone else was late," Byakuya said unfazed by Isshin, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his eyes closed.

"You just wanted to show off how rich you are," growled Isshin.

"Hardly. I only wanted to provide the best for my nephew. You will find that I went far beyond what was on the registry," Byakuya said smugly.

"Thank you so much, brother," Rukia said with stars in her eyes. "You are so generous."

"How do you know it's going to be a boy? It could be a girl," Ichigo pointed out.

"In which case, her name would be Masaki! After Ichigo's loving mother!" Isshin crooned.

"Hardly," Byakuya scoffed. "IF it were a girl, she would be named Hisana after Rukia's sister and my wife." Isshin growled loudly at Byakuya before Yuzu tried to regain control of the situation.

"Okay, this first present is from Tatsuki!" Yuzu said passing the gift to Rukia. After ripping apart the wrapping paper and tearing open the box enthusiastically, Rukia pulled out a small children's size soccer ball.

"You gotta start training them young these days!" Tatsuki said with a grin.

"Thanks, Tatsuki!" Ichigo said, scooting over on the carpet and giving his old friend a pat on the shoulder.

"I'll be sure to show her how to shoot a goal," Karin said with a determined grin.

"Why are we all assuming it's a girl now?" Renji asked, confused; although no one bothered to answer him.

"Thank you so much, Tatsuki," Rukia said warmly setting aside the present.

"The next present is from Mr. Ishida," Yuzu announced handing Rukia the next present. After she tore open the present, she pulled out a fuzzy blue blanket. She unfolded it and revealed the baby blanket for everyone to see. A round of "oohs" and "ahhhs" emerged when everyone saw the intricate pattern on the fuzzy baby blanket quilt.

"Ishida, you made this?" Ichigo said stunned. "When did you have the time?"

"In my sleep," Uryuu said smugly.

"It's beautiful, Ishida," Rukia said, her eyes watering as she ran her fingers over the embroidered name on the corner of the quilt that said "Kuchiki-Kurosaki."

"Yes, it really is beautiful," Orihime agreed, giving Uryuu a warm smile which he didn't seem to see since he was keeping his gaze away from her.

"Thank you!" Rukia said as she settled the blanket on her lap.

"Okay, the next gift is from Chad," Yuzu said reading the tag on a small box. "It says it's for Ichigo, specifically." She passed the box to Ichigo.

Taking the box from his sister, Ichigo raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Wow man, you didn't have to get anything for me. I'm not the one with the baby in me," Ichigo said as he unwrapped the present.

"Just wait and see," Chad said calmly. When Ichigo was done unwrapping the small box, everyone saw that it was a small cedar chest. Ichigo's face turned confused when he opened the chest and pulled out a large and strongly scented cigar.

"Cigars?" Ichigo asked giving Chard a questioning look.

"Yes. Men smoke cigars while the woman is having the baby," Chad explained. Renji laughed, giving Chad a hard pat on the back.

"Way to go man, great present!" Renji offered.

"Haha, yeah that's pretty cool," Ichigo said sniffing the cigar. Isshin jumped over to Ichigo and pulled out a cigar and sniffed it.

"Hmmm," Isshin said smelling it, "Hmm…this is good. This is good stuff, Chad. Way to go! I can't wait to light one of these babies up!" Ichigo snatched the cigar from his father's hands.

"Rukia's not in labor yet," Ichigo scowled. "We're not smoking these until then."

"Do you even know how to smoke a cigar, Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course, I do!" Ichigo said indignantly. "You just light it up while puffing it…" The men in the room laughed.

"No, Kurosaki. You have to cut the tip of the cigar first," Uryuu explained rolling his eyes.

"Don't worry, Ichigo. Your ol' man will show you how it's done," Isshin said giving his son a hard punch on the shoulder.

"I think it is time you open one of my presents now," Byakuya cut in as he picked up a long narrow box from his silver mountain of presents and carefully placed it in his sister's lap. The room grew quiet. Rukia gave her brother a warm smile before turning her attention to the present. Unlike the previous presents where she had torn quickly through the wrapping paper, Rukia took her time and carefully unwrapped this one. When the wrapping paper was gone and she opened the white box underneath, Rukia pulled out a very long box of polished wood. The case had the Kuchiki emblem on it burned into the wood. Rukia rubbed her thumb over the emblem, a thoughtful look in her eyes. Slowly, she opened the case revealing red silk lining and a long shining katana resting inside. Everyone in the room gasped.

"Byakuya…" Rukia said in shock. It was definitely clear now when Rukia was surprised because she would call her brother by his full name- something that she would have never done years ago, but the two of them had grown close over the years. And Byakuya became particularly warm and prone to displaying acts of affection especially after Rukia left Soul Society. Ichigo would come home from work frequently to find Rukia having tea with her brother in their kitchen; and every time it shocked the hell out of him. Renji had explained it to Ichigo once that Byakuya simply missed Rukia. Rukia had relinquished her shinigami powers and chosen to live as a human with Ichigo, essentially leaving Byakuya alone in the Kuchiki manor.

Rukia pulled out the katana, almost hitting Ichigo who was sitting by her feet because her eyes were so fixated on it. In the light, the katana gleaned when Rukia swung it.

"Jesus, Rukia. Watch where you're swinging that thing!" Ichigo said, scowling.

"It's beautiful, brother," Rukia said quietly, putting the katana back in its case. She looked up at her brother with tears in her eyes. "Thank you. It means more to me than you will ever know." Byakuya's face softened when he looked at his sister, who had very much become like a daughter. He knew what the katana meant to Rukia. It symbolized his full acceptance of the baby's lineage, essentially giving Rukia's child a position of honor in the family, despite his or her human fate. This importance evaded some of the humans in the room, including Yuzu, Karin, and Tatsuki who looked back and be forth between Rukia and Byakuya in confusion. Ichigo rubbed his forehead, unsure of how he felt about this situation. In the end, the always perceptive Yuzu noticed her brother's distress and decided it was time to move on with the present opening.

"Okay, this next gift is from Karin and I!" She said cheerfully passing the next present to Ichigo. "Why don't you open this one, brother?"

"Is it more cigars?" Ichigo asked warily. Yuzu and Karin laughed.

"No! It's for the baby," Karin explained. And that was how the afternoon was passed. Present after present, everyone endured what seemed like an unending baby parade of gifts. By the time they were done, Rukia and Ichigo had accumulated a birthday cake made of diapers, a baby bouncer seat, a diaper bag, baby themed picture frames, a home-made baby food maker machine, more stuffed animals than ever thought possible, and an endless array of baby bibs, gender neutral outfits and matching baby shoes. At some point during the unwrapping of the presents, when Ichigo and Rukia were surrounded by a disaster of wrapping paper, ribbons, and gifts, Ichigo gave Rukia a worried look and said, "I'm concerned about how many of these gifts revolve around diapers and diaper changing." Rukia only gave Ichigo a distracted kiss on the cheek while she played with her new baby monitor set.

Orihime couldn't believe how much stuff one baby could need! As she eyed several of Byakuya's presents that they hadn't even opened yet, she quietly wondered where they would store all this baby stuff. _I suppose that's why everyone moves to the suburbs…so they can buy bigger houses to store all their babies' stuff_, Orihime thought.

As she watched Rukia Orihime found herself, for what seemed like the millionth time in her life, envious of the petite dark-haired woman. Rukia and Ichigo had been married for several years now and had only moved into their first house a couple of years ago. Ichigo continued to work as an architecture at a firm in the city and Rukia was a school teacher in the nearby suburban elementary school. They lived comfortable upper-middle class lives. In Orihime's eyes, Rukia had a perfect life; she had a loving and completely devoted husband, life-long best friends, and a brother who was more protective and doting than any father Orihime had ever seen. And now Rukia also had a baby on the way.

Orihime had always longed for a family. Her brother was the only family she had ever known, and after he died she spent most of her life alone. At Thanksgivings and Christmases she visited extended relatives who knew nothing about her or her life or she visited friends' families, where she was only reminded of what she didn't have. Her whole adolescence and young adulthood had been spent waiting for the right man to come along and the right time to start her own family. Things never did turn out the way she had hoped for, but she had tried her best to make peace with her reality. She had good friends and a warm apartment to come home to at night. And she got to pursue a career that she was deeply passionate about and was very successful at...until recently at least.

"Ok! Karin and I are going to clean up now and set up the games. Feel free to eat more food while we get ready," Yuzu announced as she pulled out a garbage bag and started to stuff the discarded wrapping paper in. Ichigo got up to start helping, but Yuzu quickly stopped him, "No, brother. This is your party; you just sit tight while we set all this up."

"I don't see the problem with him helping us clean at least," Karin muttered as she followed her sister's orders.

"Perhaps this would be a good time to talk to Orihime?" Rukia suggested, looking up at her husband.

"As good of time as any," Ichigo agreed. As the others talked amongst themselves and began nibbling away at the food, Ichigo approached Orihime hesitantly. "Hey Inoue, Rukia and I had something we wanted to talk to you about."

"Yes, why don't we go into the kitchen?" Rukia suggested as she struggled to stand up from her chair. Isshin was quickly at her side and gave her an arm to help her stand up.

"What are you guys going to talk about?" He asked nosily.

"Nothing that concerns you, dad," Ichigo said as he took his wife's arm from his father. Isshin frowned.

"I think I know what you guys are going to talk about and I think I should be a part of it." Isshin said.

"What are you all talking about?" Byakuya said as he stepped away from organizing the unwrapped gifts.

"Nothing!" Rukia said exasperated , "This is a private matter, please. You guys, just enjoy the food while we talk to Orihime. Come on, Orihime." Tatsuki, Uryuu, Chad, and Renji all stared questioningly at them as they filed out of the living room.

"Uhm…okay guys, what's all this about?" Orihime was beginning to feel concerned. What was so important that they needed to ask her in private? Without saying anything further, she silently followed Ichigo and Rukia into their kitchen. Their kitchen was smaller, but it fit Rukia and Ichigo's needs since neither of them cooked too often. Ichigo walked over to their breakfast bar nook and hopped onto one of the stools as his wife stood next to him. Orihime apprehensively leaned against the fridge across from them.

"Sorry about all the drama, Inoue," Ichigo said, "It's really not that big of a deal what we wanted to talk to you about…I mean, at least I hope it's not too big of a deal."

"Yeah, it's just something I felt we should talk about in private because I didn't want to make you feel like we were putting you on the spot," Rukia explained.

"It's not a problem, go ahead…" Orihime said.

"Ok….well,"

"Just say it, Ichigo," Rukia ordered.

"Alright, alright…Inoue, Rukia and I were wondering if you would be willing to be the doctor to help deliver our baby…you know, when the time comes and stuff," Ichigo said scratching his head.

"Why would you guys want me?" Orihime asked, tilting her head to the side. "I haven't been following your pregnancy for the past eight months. Your OBGYN probably knows more about your health and would be a better choice…"

"Well, you're our friend, Orihime. We trust you and we want you to be the one to help deliver our baby," Rukia said.

"What's wrong with your OBGYN?"

"Nothing's wrong with her," Rukia replied. "It's just…we trust you more than her, that's all." Orihime regarded her two friends for a quiet moment. Her lack of response caused Ichigo and Rukia to squirm uncomfortably and start staring at their shoes instead of looking at Orihime.

"Are you worried something's going to happen to you or your baby?" Orihime finally asked.

"Yes…erm..well..no. I mean, we have no reason to believe there's anything wrong or that the delivery will have complications."

"Yeah, according to Dr. Meyer Rukia is in great health and the delivery should be safe."

"It's just that…well you know, considering our history…I'm just worried that if there were to be any complications because you know…" Rukia said uncomfortably, clearing her throat. "Because you know…I was a shinigami and now I'm human."

"We want you to be there to deliver the baby in case anything bad happens, because you would be able to take care of it," Ichigo spat out finally; he and his wife releasing loud breaths.

"You want me there for the delivery so that if anything goes wrong, I can use my powers?" Orihime said, eyeing her friends.

"I know we're asking a lot and we're assuming a lot," Rukia said slowly.

"I know we all gave up our powers but, Inoue…" Ichigo's voice was low and quiet, his eyes averted. "But if anything were to happen to Rukia and the baby…" His voice pleaded. Rukia was silent, but worry was clear on her face.

"Is there something you guys aren't telling me?" Orihime asked frowning.

"No, we're not hiding anything, Orihime." Rukia shifted, adjusting a bracelet that Byakuya had given her that she often wore. "It's just a feeling I have, I guess. A dream I had a while ago…." Orihime stared at Rukia hard for a moment, her brows knit in concern. She could see the fear in Rukia's shaking hands. Without further thinking she took the few steps between her and Rukia and took Rukia's hands in hers.

"Everything is going to be fine," Orihime said. "Your OBGYN has checked you out and if she says you're fine, then you are. This worrying isn't good for the baby." Orihime gave Rukia's hands a reassuring squeeze.

"It would still make me feel better, Inoue…" Ichigo pleaded. It was so hard to say no to his soft brown eyes. Orihime sighed, turning around and letting go of Rukia's hands. She crossed her arms over her chest and walked over to the sliding glass doors that led out to a patio and stared outside.

"I'm not even supposed to be practicing any medicine right now," Orihime said with a deep sigh.

"What do you mean?" Rukia and Ichigo said at the same time.

"I used my powers to save a little girl. I didn't mean to, but it just happened. And now, everyone thinks I'm some kind of witch with some magical powers and the hospital put me on leave until they finish conducting an investigation." The was a short silent pause between the three of them.

"Wow, Inoue…I'm really sorry. Was that the first time you've-"

"The first time I've used my powers in years, yes." An odd hysterical laugh came out of Orihime's mouth without her even realizing. "It's kind of ironic that you guys are asking me to do this after I had just used my powers to save a little girl." Rukia frowned at her.

"Orihime, there's nothing wrong with what you did. If you decided to save the little girl, then we all trust that you made the right decision. No one is going to punish you for it," Rukia said.

"Are you sure?" Orihime asked, the odd tone in her voice carrying through the kitchen.

"Is everything alright?" Tatsuki asked as she stepped into the doorway of the kitchen. She leaned against the door frame with a concerned face for her best friend. She had heard some of Orihime's high pitched hysterical voice.

"Everything's fine," Orihime quickly said. She took a deep breath and turned around, giving Ichigo and Rukia a smile. "I'd be happy to help deliver your baby. I'll leave you my pager before I leave in case you need to get a hold of me and I don't have my cell phone. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna get some fresh air." And with that, Orihime opened the sliding glass door and stepped outside. Tatsuki stood in the kitchen doorway with wide questioning eyes.

"What happened?"

"I have no idea!" Ichigo said with a sigh.

"Perhaps it's best that we give her a moment," Rukia said softly as she headed back to the family room. Tatsuki let Rukia pass her, but when Ichigo followed Tatsuki prevented him from passing with her arm.

"You're not going anywhere, buddy. What happened?"

"I don't even know!" Ichigo said throwing up his hands. "A couple of weeks ago Rukia had this dream. One minute I was fast asleep and the next she's screaming and screaming- like blood-curdling screaming. I woke her up…" Ichigo's voice lowered into a whisper. "I woke her up and she wouldn't stop crying. I did everything I could, but she wouldn't stop crying. I asked what I could do but she just wanted me to hold her and she cried for like, hours!" Ichigo turned around and began to pace around the kitchen.

"She had a bad dream?"

"It seemed like more than just a bad dream," Ichigo said, rubbing his face, something he did when he was clearly stressed. He hadn't realized how badly he had needed to talk to someone about this. Rukia had made him swear that he'd keep it quiet and not tell anyone, not Chad, his father, and especially not Byakuya. But the secret was eating him alive. Ichigo kept his voice quiet so the others couldn't hear, "She said she dreamt that she was having her baby, except she was covered in blood. That's all she told me. She's had the dream a few times since and I don't know what else I can do, so I suggested that we asked Inoue to be there at the delivery…in case anything happens."

"Oh, Ichigo…I'm so sorry," Tatsuki said, walking over one of the stools by the breakfast bar and sitting down.

"I know," was all Ichigo could say. "Don't tell anyone. I feel like if Byakuya were to find out…"

"Of course," Tatsuki said quickly. "Maybe…you should take Rukia to a psychologist or something?"

"Ha! Yeah, right. Have you met my wife?" Ichigo laughed briefly. Tatsuki gave a half smile, her eyes were deep in thought though.

"What about your father? He's a doctor, right?"

Ichigo shook his head. "Yes, but he doesn't have Inoue's gift."

"And she…?"

"I don't know what's going on with her. She said that she had to save some girl and her hospital suspended her or something for it? I mean, I can imagine people freaking out if they saw her using her powers without knowing what it was. But I don't get what the big deal is if she saved the girl's life."

"Yeah, I know what you're saying. There's been something going on with her; I've been feeling like something's been off about her for a while now. She's never told me anything though. Every time I talk to her, she just gives me a big smile and tells me she's okay."

"I guess being suspended or whatever is affecting her more than we're giving it credit for?" Ichigo suggested and Tatsuki shrugged. "How long can you stay in town for? Can you maybe stay a little bit longer, check on her and see that everything's okay?"

Tatsuki frowned, "Ichigo, Orihime and I haven't had been that close in a long time. Maybe Ishida would be the better person…"

"I would be the better person for what?" Ichigo and Tatsuki turned around to see Ishida walk into the kitchen. "If you mean I would be a better person to talk to Orihime and make her feel better about the investigation and her job, then you're wrong."

"Did you already try?" Tatsuki asked.

"She told me about it. I said everything I could to help. I even offered to get her a lawyer, but she's got other stuff she's worrying about."

"Like what?" Tatsuki asked. Ishida didn't respond but instead took a few steps toward the sliding glass doors. He stood there with his hands on his hips and watched Orihime outside. For a moment, he hesitated as if he was thinking about telling them something, but changed his mind and ended up shaking his head instead. Tatsuki and Ichigo looked at each other, their eyes communicating complete confusion to one another.

"Ichigo, we're going to start the games now…" Karin said as she poked her head into the kitchen. His perceptive sister gave him a questioning looking regarding the awkward atmosphere in the kitchen, but Ichigo shook his head as if to tell her to not bother asking.

"Coming, Karin," Ichigo said as he left the kitchen. Tatsuki and Uryuu were left alone in the kitchen; both of them regarded each other uneasily for a moment. It had always amazed Tatsuki that both of them had been such a big part in Orihime's life but still knew so little about each other. However in that moment, Tatsuki realized she probably understood more about what Uryuu was feeling than what Orihime was feeling.

Both of them had lost Orihime; they had neglected their relationships with her because they selfishly needed to tend to themselves. Tatsuki got caught up in her job and her ambition to move her team toward a championship and Uryuu left to tend to his broken heart and his dying father. In the past few weeks, neither of them had bothered to call and ask how Orihime was doing; and now they both stood in the kitchen feeling helpless and guilty. Tatsuki had never been a woman of inaction, and so she pulled forth whatever resolve she had left.

"You should go talk to her," Tatsuki said.

"She doesn't want to talk to me."

"Oh come on, you guys have had enough time to get over your break up. So what if she wasn't ready to get married."

"How did you know…? What did she tell you about our engagement?"

"She didn't tell us anything, we all figured it out on our own…You'll work through it though," Tatsuki continued when Uryuu gave her his best _seriously?_ face. "You guys are good for each other."

"She doesn't need me now. What she needs is a girlfriend to talk her out of doing some stupid things," Uryuu grinded out through his teeth.

"What stupid things?" Tatsuki frowned.

"You're going to have to ask her. Just don't go around assuming that whatever is wrong with Orihime is my fault. I've done all I can," Uryuu sighed deeply, trying to ignore the pain in his chest. "I can't make her love me."

"Ishida…" Tatsuki said, her dark eyes filled with sympathy. He simply shook his head, disgusted because he didn't need her pity.

"I have to get going. I told Ichigo and Rukia I couldn't stay long anyways. I've got to go check on my father and then I have to attend this stupid fundraiser tonight in his place. Please say good-bye to Orihime for me, Tatsuki? I'll see you guys around."

"Yeah, sure."

"Thank you," Uryuu said, giving her a half smile as he left the kitchen to go say his good-byes to the family. Tatsuki sat in the kitchen for a few minutes. She could hear the roar of laughter coming from the family room as Rukia and Ichigo enacted out some silly baby shower game that Yuzu had forced them to do. She waited in the kitchen patiently for Orihime. Two minutes turned into five minutes, and then five minutes turned into ten minutes. It was when Tatsuki was about to decide to either go check on Orihime outside or return to the family room that Orihime opened the glass door and stepped back into the kitchen. Her presence brought in a gush of cold air and she looked like she had just woken up from sleep.

"Hey…" Tatsuki said, giving Orihime a soft smile. "Is everything okay?" Orihime returned her friend's smile and nodded.

"Yes. Thank you for being concerned about me."

"Ishida left."

"I figured. I heard a car engine start and leave," Orihime said.

"Things seem weird between you two."

"I know." Orihime's eyes lowered, trying to hide her sadness. "I think we're both still heartbroken."

"I can see that," Tatsuki said. Orihime walked over to where Tatsuki sat on the stool and took a seat next to her. "Do you want to make things work with him? Can you guys go back to just being together?"

"How do you go back to being together when someone tells you that they don't want to be with you forever?" Orihime said in an uncharacteristically sarcastic tone.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up over this. You can't help what your heart tells you to do; but that doesn't mean you two have to stop caring for each other."

"I know, I know, that's how it goes in my head too, but whenever we get together and try to have a conversation… I think it's a combination of everything…you know? Busy lives, his father needing him so much more often now, and my job that's driving me insane."

"Yeah, I heard about it," Tatsuki said and Orihime's eyes flashed in surprise.

"Oh, Tatsuki," Orihime said with a deep pained sigh. Tatsuki wrapped arm around her friend, and Orihime rested her head on Tatsuki's shoulder. "I don't know what to do about Uryuu. I love him so much still, but I don't know how to be there for him. I never knew his father very well, but we all know what kind of relationship he had with his father. I can't even begin to imagine how hard this must be for him. Every time he just mentions his father, I can feel the full force of everything he wants to say about his father but can't."

"I imagine that he feels the same way," Tatsuki said and continued when Orihime gave her a confused look. "Well, I think he really wants to comfort you about what's happening in your life right now but he doesn't know how."

"Well…it's not like he really tried," Orihime said bitterly. Tatsuki raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean? He said he's talked to you about your job and offered to help get a lawyer?"

"Oh…yeah, well he did do that. I guess I was talking about something else…"

"Well, what were you talking about then?"

"Hey guys! Get in here! Don't think you're going to get away from having to play the games! Yuzu said to come get you two," Karin said as she poked her head in the kitchen again, giving them suspicious looks.

"Coming!" Orihime cheered, thankful that she had an excuse to leave the conversation. She wasn't in the mood to share her experience with Ulquiorra with anyone yet. She had decided during her little moment of fresh air outside that none of her friends were ready to hear about Ulquiorra, especially if Uryuu's behavior was any indication.

Tatsuki scowled that Orihime had jumped at the opportunity to drop the conversation and she vowed that she would figure out a way to squeeze the truth out of Orihime. It was very clear that her best friend was hiding something important, but it wasn't clear why she didn't want to tell Tatsuki. _I'll just wait for the next best moment_, Tatsuki thought to herself.

But a good moment never presented itself for the rest of the baby shower. Yuzu, Karin, and Isshin kept everyone busy with either games or food, and Orihime didn't make it any easier for Tatsuki to get her alone.

It was an hour later when the party was finally winding down that Tatsuki finally found herself alone with Orihime. Orihime was gathering her purse and coat and was getting ready to leave when she was cornered in the hallway by Tatsuki.

"Hey, I was hoping that maybe you and I could grab a bite and talk?" Tatsuki asked.

"Haha, oh Tatsuki, I'm stuffed! Yuzu forced too much food on me."

"Well, how about coffee then?"

"Well…"

"Hey, guys. We're all going over to Chad's bar for a drink and to play some pool. You wanna come?" Ichigo said as he crowded the hallway with Chad and Renji.

"What? Why are you leaving your own party so soon?" Orihime asked, confused.

"The party is over and I am overwhelmed with baby-craziness and Byakuya!" Ichigo hissed underneath his breath. "I need some beer and space so I can regain my sanity." His two male friends nodded furiously in agreement.

"Come on, Arisawa! You owe me a re-match playing pool," Renji challenged. Tatsuki raised her eyebrow at the red-head.

"Please, little boy, as if you have a chance," she scoffed.

"Is that a wager? Because I have been saving up to buy a new pair of sunglasses," he grinned.

"Alright, come on, Orihime. This will be fun, it will be just like old times," Tatsuki said.

"Oh…haha, I'd love to but, I've got some plans," Orihime muttered underneath her breath as she slipped on her coat and started buttoning it up.

"What plans? What are you doing tonight?" Tatsuki asked.

"Haha okay mother, no need to watch over me, hahaha," Orihime teased with a nervous faked laugh, hoping it would distract them long enough so she could just get out the door.

"Well, what are you doing?" Tatsuki inquired, her face turning serious. Orihime gave her friend an exasperated look, hoping that she wouldn't need to explain herself. She was an adult after all, why did she need to answer to Tatsuki? Tatsuki who had spent most of her time the past few months gone traveling with her team and had barely had time to talk to her on the phone. Orihime straightened herself and stared blankly back at her friends.

When Orihime refused to answer, Tatsuki's dark eyes flared with her temper.

"First round is on the house," Chad offered, trying to cool down the atmosphere that was quickly turning hot. The three men stood confused and increasingly anxious as they looked back and forth between the two women.

"I have plans, okay? I'm going to the University's fundraiser thing," Orihime said quickly, looking away from Tatsuki. Tatsuki's face calmed as she raised her eyebrows.

"Oh? You're going with Ishida?"

"Huh? Uh, no…I didn't know he was going," Orihime said nervously.

"How could he not go? He has to represent his father and their healthcare business to the University. You know Ishida's father's business works closely with the University's research labs," Chad pointed out.

"Oh…well, I guess I hadn't thought about that…" Orihime said, chewing on her lower lip. Ichigo gave Orihime a long cold stare.

"Who are you going with, Inoue?" Ichigo said, the sharp tone of his voice keeping everyone quiet and demanding an answer from Orihime. Orihime let out a frustrated sigh.

"Okay! Okay! You guys want to know so much, I'll tell you. I'm going with Ulquiorra."

A large gasp escaped from everyone's mouths, the largest gasp coming from a wide-eyed pregnant Rukia at the end of the hallway who had come just in time to hear the dramatic confession.

"What?" Tatsuki said, her eyeballs practically popping out of her head.

"How is that possible?" Chad demanded in a calm tone, riddled with concern.

"Orihime! You can't!" Rukia said, with pleading dark violent eyes as she waddled over to her husband and clutched his arm. "Ichigo, you can't let her go!"

"I don't understand what the big deal is!" Orihime cried, shaking her head.

"Inoue, you can't go." Ichigo said firmly.

"You can't forbid me!" Orihime said, her eyelashes batting fresh tears away quickly. This was a worse reaction than Uryuu's! At least he stayed calm!

"He's dangerous!" Renji growled.

"I don't understand what the big deal is!" Orihime cried.

"Orihime, first of all…" Rukia said, lowering her voice as she became aware that her big brother may overhear their conversation. "We've been ordered to stay clear of them. We're not to interfere with their lives."

"We were also ordered to not use our powers without permission, and yet you have no problem asking me to break those rules," Orihime shot back. Rukia's large violet eyes flashed with hurt when Orihime said that, and she instantly felt guilty for what she had said. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean to say that. That was horrible of me."

"Orihime, please be reasonable," Chad said.

"I am being reasonable. He's human just like all of us. He has a job and he lives a regular life just like all of us."

"Inoue, he's not human. He will never be human," Ichigo said in a somber tone.

"He is a perfectly polite and kind gentleman, who even helped me get a new cake when I clumsily dropped the original one and practically tackled him this morning," Orihime explained.

"Is that why you were late?" Tatsuki glared.

"Ugh! You guys, I love you all so much. I know you're just concerned, but he's a very nice man and I really enjoyed seeing him again. And he invited me out tonight and I want to go and enjoy his company. If anything goes wrong, I will let you know right away; but until then, I need you to treat me like a grown woman, please?" Orihime asked.

"He kidnapped you and locked you up!" Renji pointed out, confused with the red-headed woman logic and behavior.

"…That was a long time ago," Orihime said lamely.

"He's a hollow and he will always be a hollow," Rukia said.

"This conversation is over," Orihime said, throwing up her hands. "I'm sorry if you guys can't be happy for me." She walked over the door and opened it.

"What the fuck is this?" Renji asked incredulously to Ichigo and Tatsuki. "You two know her best, do something!"

Ichigo shook his head and looked helpless and Tatsuki glared and just looked pissed. Neither them could look at Orihime in the eyes.

"I love you guys," Orihime said softly, giving them all one parting glance. "Thank you, Rukia and Ichigo; it was a lovely baby shower. Call me if you need me, okay? Bye, everyone." She said softly and closed the door quietly with a click. The five friends stared at one another stupefied.


	5. Chapter 5: The Date

**Chapter 5: The Date**

Orihime played the message on her machine over again. _Hi, it's me. I found out your phone number and address from calling the hospital. I hope that doesn't make me a creepy stalker. _His voice had been completely deadpan despite his lame attempt at a joke. _Anyways, I will stop by at 7:45 pm. Wear something nice. Bye._ She replayed it one more time, part of her feeling way too much excitement and pleasure from just hearing his low seductive voice. She looked at her watch and saw that it was already 6:30 pm. Not good. Not enough time to get ready! She still needed a shower and then she had to pick something out to wear…god what was she going to wear? Orihime hadn't been to anything nice since…dear god, she really couldn't remember. When she and Uryuu were dating, he would occasionally take her out to nice restaurants for dinner, but never anything where a tux was required.

Orihime had done a little research when she got home. She hopped on her computer and looked up the University's fundraiser gala. It was called "The Annual Friends and Family of the University Gala" and apparently it was a schmoozing fest for all the wealthy alumni of the University. Photos from last year showed a lot of old men and women in tuxes and evening gowns drinking champagne and looking far too happy for sober. She started to feel a little concerned about her wardrobe. Throwing open her closet she walked in and turned on the little light. She wasn't the most unorganized person in the world, but she also wasn't the cleanest. Her hamper was overflowing with dirty clothes, mainly scrubs, lounge stretchy pants and t-shirts. She moved over to the second rack of clothes that hung behind her usual rack of dress shirts and business casual tops. She looked at some of the old dresses that hung there, and chewed on her lower lip. What to wear…what to wear…She had a purple silky frilly dress she wore for a New Year's Eve party once, a gold body-clinging strapless cocktail dress that was maybe a little too short, a simple black dress that belonged only at funerals, a red chiffon baby-doll dress that seemed only fit for something as festive as a Christmas party, and then she had a couple of white summer cotton or linen dresses and a yellow and blue sun dress.

"Ugh!" Orihime let out a big sigh of frustration. She wasn't one to usually fret so much over just clothes, but she felt incredibly nervous about this date and she wanted to look good. If only she could call Tatsuki and ask for her opinion. "I'll just take a shower first and see how I feel after that," she said to herself as she left her closet and walked across her bedroom to the adjoining bathroom. She began to take off her clothes as she hummed to herself. On the drive home she had managed to push her friends' negative comments and attitudes out of her mind. They all meant well, she knew this without a doubt, but sometimes they were too overprotective. Sometimes Orihime thought they still believed her to be in high school while the rest of them grew up and became adults.

As Orihime lathered up her soapy loofah and scrubbed her soft pink skin, she replayed her afternoon meeting with Ulquiorra over her head again. He had always been so hard to read; it kind of drove her nuts! She wanted to know what he was thinking, what he was doing right now, what he would be wearing. The online flyer for the fundraiser said that he was one of the key-note speakers and would be getting an award for his scholarly work on Kierkegaard. Orihime was vaguely familiar with Kierkegaard, but only so much that she knew he was a philosopher. In truth Orihime wished she had had time to look up some of Ulquiorra's work so she'd have something to talk about at dinner- part of her felt incredibly intimidated by how smart he must be to be getting this award.

When she was done showering she left the steamy bathroom and sat on her stool before her vanity table. She quickly ran lotion over her whole body, making sure that not one inch of her was left dry and scaly….just in case. Then she began the work of putting on her make-up. She had made up her mind in the bathroom that she was going to wear her gold dress. It was an odd color choice for someone of her coloring, but the gold was just the right pale shade to compliment her auburn hair and fair skin. Orihime made a face at herself in the mirror, wishing she weren't so pale looking. It was winter after all, but still…it wouldn't hurt her to have a little bit of coloring. If she had had time she might have even thought about going tanning!

"Ugh, what's wrong with me!" Orihime thought to herself; she felt like a college girl again. The gold dress would have to do. The red dress just called for too much attention and the purple dress seemed childish somehow. If she wore a nice cardigan and put her hair up, it might de-skank the dress. She prepped her face with tinted moisturizer and primer before giving herself a little shimmery pink blush. She brushed on darker eyeshadow and eyeliner, giving a smoky-eye look, and then put on pale pink lipstick and matching gloss.

A few coats of mascara later she was finished. She walked over to her closet and pulled out her gold dress. Unzipping it she stepped in and thanked the heavens when it zipped up with no problem. It had been so long, she wasn't sure if she would even still fit into the dress! She slipped on some thigh-high classic black pantyhose, giving her legs a sexy allure without revealing the pale skin underneath, and then pulled out a velvet shrug that would go nicely with the gold dress and black pantyhose. Checking the clock, she noticed it was about 7:30, _right on time!_ She thought to herself.

Returning to her vanity, she blew dry her hair and ran some conditioning cream through it before twisting it up into a loose bun on top of her head. She slipped in some light brown bobby pins that disappeared amongst her mess of auburn hair but managed to keep the bun in place. Next she took a few sparkly black bobby pinks with little flowers at the end and stuck them strategically in her hair to accentuate her hair-do. By the time the door bell rung, Orihime had just managed to put the finishes touches on her look by slipping on a necklace with a single pearl hanging from a gold chain and a pair of dangling gold earrings with hanging white crystals.

"Coming!" She yelled to the door as she grabbed a pair of strappy gold high-heels. _ACK! I forgot to prepare my purse! _She thought to herself in a panic. She ran to the door and opened it breathlessly. He stood there looking surprised at how she had flung open the door and was now huffing out of breath. He raised his eyebrows at her and quickly assessed her. A small smile perched on his lips as he said, "Good evening."

"Hi!" Orihime said lamely. She stood there staring at him. He still wore his black overcoat from earlier that morning and his green scarf, but underneath Orihime could see that he wore a deliciously crisp black tuxedo with a dark green tie that had bright highlights of blue stripes running down it. He stood there perfectly still waiting for her to finish her turn of assessing him. When she took too long to say anything he finally asked, "Are we ready?"

"Uh, no. Can you give me like…five minutes? Here come in. I'm sorry, I'm so rude. I should have asked you to come in at the beginning," she stuttered as she stepped aside for him. He wandered inside, his hands inside his pant pockets, as he surveyed her small apartment. Her living room had a couch and two sitting chairs, all three bought at the local thrift store. She had a medium size TV, but it was still the old CRT instead of the standard flat panel TVs that everyone else had. The walls were painted a happy yellow and her windows had closed blinds and translucent white curtains. He could see a small doorway to the kitchen and another doorway to what he assumed was her bedroom.

"Have a seat, please. Is there anything I can get you to drink? Water? And uhm, I think I only have water actually…I could make coffee though?" She asked.

"No, thank you. I'm fine. I will just sit here and wait, do not worry about rushing," he said politely as he sat down on her couch. He was thrown slightly off guard when his butt sunk into the couch immediately because of the old springs and worn in cushions. Ulquiorra sat there awkwardly in the quiet living room while Orihime rushed to find her black leather clutch and threw in a few essentials for the evening.

"Ok, I'll be right out," Orihime said as she rushed back into her bedroom. Ulquiorra felt unnerved by his idleness. It made him want to do something besides twiddling his thumbs, like walk over to the shelves along the wall to see what books. It would be rude though, so he didn't.

"I'm really sorry," she called from the bedroom, "It took me a lot longer to get back from the baby shower than I expected and then there was ridiculous traffic for some reason."

"It is really okay," he said back calmly. "We will not miss anything special."

Orihime returned from her bedroom and sat down in the chair next to Ulquiorra. She set her purse on the coffee table as she gave him a bright smile and then proceeded to put on her strappy shoes. Ulquiorra watched her as she carefullyslipped her elegant feet into shoes that were nothing but a twisted ankle waiting to happen. Women were silly about the things they felt they needed to wear to look 'nice,' but there was something warmly interesting about the way the high-heeled shoe carved into the delicate arch of her foot. It strangely made him want to run a singer fingered caress across that arch just to see if she'd find that touch arousing.

"You look especially beautiful tonight," he said quietly.

Orihime felt like she had just gotten the wind knocked out of her. Oddly, a forthright compliment was the last thing she had expected from him. Her silver-grey eyes met his intense green ones and they stared at each other for a brief moment. Orihime blushed uncontrollably and mumbled, "Thank you." She stood up, hoping to god that her legs wouldn't wobble with nervousness. Ulquiorra took her cue and also stood up as he adjusted his coat.

"Will you be warm enough in that?" He asked eyeing the length of her long slender legs. Orihime laughed.

"Oh, of course not. Let me grab my coat," she said shaking her head. She walked over to her closet by the door and pulled out her black coat. "How's the weather outside? I heard there might be some snow?"

"I haven't seen a snowflake," he said as he followed her over to the door. Orihime pulled out a wooly pink scarf, the only bright color against her pale gold and black outfit, and started to put it on when Ulquiorra took the scarf out of her hands and began to put it on for her. He tucked the scarf securely around her neck and then tied it into a soft knot, before tucking it into the collar of her coat. His fingers briefly brushed the bare skin of her collarbone as he did this, and Orihime felt butterflies in her stomach. Orihime stood there helplessly staring at his deep green eyes as he had his way with her scarf. "We don't want to get you sick, Dr. Inoue," he said simply when he was done. Orihime gave him a dazzling smile and a soft blush.

"Let's get going," he said shortly and turned around, opening the door. "After you."

"Thank you," she nodded and stepped out into her apartment hallway. They left her building and walked outside where the temperature had dropped to shivering cold conditions. Ulquiorra led her to a dark Lexus sedan, where he opened the passenger side door and let her in. Orihime sunk into the fresh smelling leather seats with glee. When Ulquiorra had gotten into his own driver side seat, Orihime turned to him with surprised eyes, "You do pretty well for a professor, huh?"

Ulquiorra gave a scoff that hid a sarcastic halfhearted laugh before saying, "Hardly, this is a car the University loaned me for my time here. They are courting me."

"They're taking you out on dates and trying to win your heart? Should I be jealous?" Orihime smiled briefly before giving a show of a fake pout.

"No, they are offering me a position and are trying to convince me to stay," Ulquiorra replied, not missing a beat but clearly missing Orihime's joke. He started the car and the engine hummed seductively.

"Oh! This car as seat warmers!" Orihime noticed excitedly as she pressed the button for her seat warmer. "I love these! Once, Uryuu took his father's Mercedes and I got to sit in the passenger seat and used the seat warmer." She began poking away at the lit up buttons.

"Please do not turn on my seat warmer. I'd rather not burn my ass off," he said dryly.

"Oh, you're no fun," Orihime scowled as they took off into the streets.

* * *

When Ulquiorra and Orihime arrived at the hotel lobby where the gala was being held, it was just starting to snow. Big fluffy flakes danced down and were whipped around every now and then by a strong gust of wind. Ulquiorra got out of the driver's side of the door and threw the keys to the valet boy before opening the passenger door and helping Orihime out of the car. He offered her his arm and she slid her hand into the crook of his arm as they walked into the hotel lobby. They followed red velvet ropes that led them through the maze of the hotel's front lobby and into the main ballroom of the hotel.

The entire ballroom was in a bit of tipsy frenzy as cocktail hour had gone on for too long and dinner was just starting to be served. A polite young college student stood by the door and asked for their names when Ulquiorra and Orihime approached. Ulquiorra gave his name and the girl seemed to almost leap in her shoes.

"Right this way Dr. Schiffer. They've been expecting you," she said, her cheeks flushed and she batted her eyelashes at him furiously. Clearly smitten the young woman couldn't help but stare longingly at Ulquiorra as she led them to their table. She was so distracted that several times she almost tripped, nearly running into other waiters. They arrived at a large circular table in the front and center of the ballroom. Before them stood before a makeshift stage that was cleverly disguised with Christmas decorations. The entire ballroom glittered and a student orchestra played Brahms.

Orihime leaned over at and whispered into Ulquiorra's ear, "Are we really late?"

"Of course," he said, "The gala started an hour and a half ago."

"What? You told me 7:45 PM."

"I know, and I did that on purpose. I did not want to sit around bored for an hour and half before they served dinner," Ulquiorra replied.

"Ah! Professor Schiffer, so glad you could make it. We were beginning to worry about you!" A jolly over-weight man nearly bursting out of his gray tux made his way over to Ulquiorra and Orihime.

"I apologize Dean Wiley. I was awaiting my beautiful date. She needed some extra time," Ulquiorra quipped. Orihime scowled and wanted to kicked his shin with her heel for the blatant lie.

"Well I doubt such a beauty needs any time to look ravishing," Dean Wiley said as he took Orihime's hand. He bowed over her hand in an almost anachronistic chivalrous manner.

"May I present to you Dr. Orihime Inoue. She's a trauma surgeon at St. Luke's hospital," Ulquiorra said.

"Why, beauty and brains, Mr. Schiffer, the rumors must be true! You do get all the good ones," Dean Wiley joked, laughing loudly. His face was a bright pink that came with high cholesterol and a lot of scotch. Orihime shot Ulquiorra a sharp look. What were these "rumors" the dean spoke of?

"I can take your coats, Professor Schiffer and Dr. Inoue," the young college girl offered. She had been standing to the side hoping for another chance to speak to Ulquiorra.

"Thank you," Ulquiorra said shortly as he handed his scarf and coat to the girl. Orihime sullenly handed her coat and scarf to the girl as well and sulked into her seat. The night wasn't starting off well. Ulquiorra was being sardonic and now Orihime was finding out that he was some kind of playboy. _I wonder if he sleeps with all his female students?_ Orihime ruminated.

"My dear, let me introduce you to everyone," Dean Wiley disrupted Orihime's thoughts as he took her hand into his without so much as a blink of an eye. His hand felt clammy and his fingers were as chubby and pink as his face. Orihime was barely able to put on a grimace of a smile.

"This is my wife Delia..." he began. Orihime nodded at the middle-aged woman who had dark shoulder length hair that flipped outward at the ends and was shot through with silver and white streaks. She wore a bright sequined yellow and green dress that reminded Orihime of the late 1980's. Her eyes were glazed over and she seemed half-distracted as she fingered the rim of her wine glass. The woman bobbed her head in greeting, and Orihime realized that the woman was drunk out of her mind.

"This is the Chancellor Takamura and his wife Regina..." Dean Wiley continued. Orihime smiled and said hello to an elderly man with a large nose and salt-and-peppered hair. His wife looked to be half his age and had stuffed more botox into her face than would ever be necessary for any woman. Orihime quietly wondered what the difference was between a Dean and Chancellor, but decide it would be best to ask Ulquiorra about that later in the evening.

"And finally, last but not least, this is Professor Engles; he's the head of the philosophy department here at the University. This is his wife Michelle."

"Please to meet you," Orihime said, giving a polite smile. Professor Engles looked to be a middle-aged man who epitomized the stereotype of the frumpy-looking professor. His tie was slightly crooked, his pants were wrinkled, and his worn in corduroy jacket did not go with his stained khaki pants. He had kind blue eyes though, and the smile he greeted Orihime with was warm and genuine. His wife looked to be in her mid-thirties. She had red hair that was sensibly pulled back into a ponytail at the nape of her neck with an intricate looking silver barrette. She had previously had a bored glazed look in her brown eyes before Orihime and Ulquiorra had shown up, but now she looked interested again and gave them both warm smile.

"Engles, it's good to see you again," Ulquiorra said as he pulled at a chair for Orihime. She happily pulled her hand out of Dean Wiley's clutches and sat down in her seat as he pushed it in slightly before taking his own seat next to her.

"We hadn't been expecting Professor Schiffer to be bringing a date," Regina stated tartly, her icy blue eyes fixed on Orihime.

"It seems I was in luck. Dr. Inoue was able to make time out of her busy schedule for old friend," Ulquiorra said, cutting the woman off slightly. His distaste for tacky women prevented him from remaining more polite than he should have been with Regina. In the background, the student orchestra and started up the second movement of Vivaldi's winter. The ballroom got louder as people began to get served their dinners. There was the clinking of glasses and clashes of silverware against china set off by the chatter of Christmas cheer. Orihime felt disappointed. She hadn't thought it through completely, but for some reason in her head she had imagined her and Ulquiorra alone at their own table instead of being hosted by an entire crew of University administrators. The evening suddenly felt long and daunting. Ulquiorra must have noticed Orihime's discomfort as he reached over to her hand and took it in his. His fingers were cold, but she nestled her hand into the warmth of the palm of his hand.

"Aren't you glad we showed up as late as we did?" Ulquiorra leaned over whispered under his breath into her ear. His breath tickled her sensitive ear and she let out a giggle.

"Yes," she said, silently forgiving him for putting her in such an awkward situation.

"Excuse me, Professor Schiffer? There's a reporter here with the local newspaper who'd love to ask you a few questions," A young man asked as he approached the table shyly. He wore a pale sky-blue shirt and a clashing maroon and green tie. His shirt appeared too large for him and it was stuffed wrinkling into his pants, which were being held on for dear life with a braided leather belt.

"Uh…of course," Ulquiorra said, his gaze returning to Orihime.

"Right this way," the young man said. Ulquiorra got up and gave Orihime a reassuring look, as if to say "I'll be right back, don't worry," before he left with the young gentleman. Right at that moment the caterers showed up and began to refill their wine glasses, layout the bread basket, and hand each person their plate. Apparently someone had chosen some kind of poached white fish with vegetables and roasted red potatoes for Orihime to eat that night. She peeked at what everyone else was having and noticed others had gotten steak, chicken, or a vegetarian meal. She frowned, wishing someone had chosen steak for her.

"So you're an old friend of Professor Schiffer?" Michelle asked shyly, but she kept a friendly smile on her face and so Orihime had no problem warming up to her right away.

"Yes, from way back…" She said as she reached for a piece of bread.

"Oh, like college or…?"

"Ah…more like high school."

"Oh wow, then you must know a lot about each other," she said. Orihime began to butter her bread and was thoughtful for a moment.

"Yes, I suppose we do know a lot about each other." She said distantly. She stuffed a piece of bread in her mouth in order to keep her mouth shut.

"He seems like such a nice young man and so accomplished for his age. My husband here was really excited when he heard that Professor Schiffer might consider taking the Professor Emeritus position the University has offered him."

"He would be a great addition to the department. Lord knows we need it," Engles muttered as he began to stuff his face with his food.

"So what was the nature of your relationship with Schiffer?" Regina asked boldy, her icy-blue eyes still cold and fixated on Orihime.

"Uhm…" Orihime frowned a little at the woman's forwardness and struggled to find an answer that would sound somewhat possible. "I…stayed with him for a while when I couldn't stay at my own place."

"In high school?" Regina asked skeptically. "What kind of relationship was that?"

"Well, I've pretty much lived on my own since I was old enough to do so. My brother raised me and he died when I was young." Orihime shrugged as she told the story and sipped on her red wine. It was a story that, although tragic, Orihime was all too familiar with sharing when strangers would inquire about her past.

"So you moved in with your boyfriend when you were in high school?" Regina pressured. Orihime's eyes widened at the woman's audacity.

"Uhm…NO!" Orihime said firmly, sitting up in her seat and suddenly feeling the need to appear taller for some reason. "I just visited with him and we were not dating nor were we even friends. I just had to stay with him for a while because…they were renovating my apartment and…my relatives asked if I could stay with his family."

"Well that was kind of them to take you in," Michelle said, hoping to tone down the temperature of the conversation.

"It must have been awkward for you two. A boy and a girl, both teenagers, living together under one roof…" Regina said suggestively.

"It was at first…but it didn't matter too much. Ulquiorra's….father made sure that Ulquiorra watched me to make sure I ate and stayed healthy and stuff," Orihime fibbed. The half-lie seemed to be growing more and more convoluted.

"I mean all that time together…you must have grown close," Regina continued.

"I guess. Although it's been a really long time since we've seen each other. I haven't seen him since then," Orihime pointed out.

"But you are still close?"

"I guess," Orihime said, getting annoyed. This woman was going crazy on her, and soon Orihime felt like she would have to get up and go looking for Ulquiorra.

"Perhaps if you do have such an influence on him, you could convince Ulquiorra to really consider our offer," Engles suggested. Chancellor Takamura nodded in between his shovels of food he kept putting in his mouth.

"We would really love to have him. We need to desperately expand our Liberal Arts College, and the humanities in particular have been suffering. All the college kids want to do are engineering, medicine, and computer science," the Chancellor explained. "We're becoming too one-dimensional."

"Yes, bringing a Rhodes Scholar and Pulitzer Prize winner would be a best-case scenario for us," Dean Wiley pointed out.

"Well…Ulquiorra hasn't really mentioned anything about it yet," Orihime said, replaying the disinterested tone Ulquiorra had when he was describing the "courting" offer.

"Maybe you could just make a suggestion to him," Dean Wiley said with a creepy smile plastered to his face, "You know…maybe tonight before you two go to bed just suggest that he seriously consider it." Orihime grimaced and tried really hard to turn it into a polite smile.

"We'll see…I guess," she said. When she spotted Ulquiorra returning to their table she let out a loud sigh of relief. "Why, welcome back stranger," she said as she stared meaningfully into his green eyes.

"I apologize for how long that took. These newspaper interviewers never know quite what they're writing about and therefore often ask completely irrelevant questions," Ulquiorra explained as he took his seat and reached over and ran his hand slowly over Orihime's back. His now warmed hand felt soothing, and she was glad he was letting her know that he knew this was weird for her. "They are announcing the award shortly after dinner, I believe." He explained to her. Orihime's eyes met his intense green ones and she couldn't help but smile and nod, as she continued to finish her dinner.

* * *

"Okay, now what are they doing?" Tatsuki asked.

"Uh…he's got his hand on her back and…now he's rubbing her back," Uryuu said trying his best to hide his disgust. He was completely unhappy with the task that Tatsuki and Rukia had forced on him.

"What are they talking about?" Tatsuki asked, whispering loudly.

"How am I supposed to know? I'm like twelve feet away from them!" Uryuu said irritably.

"Tatsuki, you don't need to whisper. There's no one else home," Ichigo said blandly as he entered the kitchen where he found his wife and best friend hovering over a cell phone on their kitchen counter top. The speaker phone was on and the two ladies sat on the bar stools, their elbows on the counter and their heads were tilted downward trying to hear the scratchy muffling sound coming out of the phone. "What are you two doing?"

"Uryuu's at the fundraiser and he's telling us what Orihime and Ulquiorra are doing," Rukia explained. "When did you get home?"

"Just now," Ichigo said. "I had to take Renji home. He got a little drunker than necessary. Hey Ishida." Ichigo sounded annoyed as he grabbed the third bar stool and sat down.

"Hey Kurosaki," Ishida said on the other line.

"What is she wearing?" Rukia asked curiously.

"She's wearing a gold dress and a black sweater," he said plainly.

"What kind of gold dress?" Tatsuki asked.

"I don't know! I'm a guy. It's shiny…and uhm…short. She's got black pantyhose on and heels," he said, silently cursing himself for having to evaluate how hot his ex-girlfriend looked.

"Do they look like they're getting cozy?" Tatsuki asked.

"Uhm…" Uryuu looked back over at the table where Orihime and Ulquiorra were sitting. "No, but they keep looking at each other. People at the table keep trying to talk to them, but they're not really paying attention to them."

The longer Uryuu had to look at them, the sicker his stomach felt. Orihime looked especially beautiful and sexy that night and there was nothing he could do but stare longingly at her. Once, she had been his; and it would have been his fingers that were twirling and playing with strands of her beautiful auburn hair and his lips that were whispering sweet nothings into her ear. It would have been his words that were making her laugh and her eyes sparkle. It took all of his will power to keep himself under control and not stroll up to them and grab her and run away.

"Okay, this is enough. If you girls want to know what's happening so badly, you can just get a summary later," Ichigo said, noticing the strain in Ishida's voice.

"But-"

"Talk to you later Ishida!" Ichigo said and hung up the phone.

"Hey…" Rukia protested.

Uryuu also hung up the phone, relieved that he no longer had to give a play by play of Orihime's date with Ulquiorra. He put away his cell phone and tried to finish his meal. Everyone at his table had been polite enough, but some people had gotten up to go socialize with others elsewhere and it was just him and an elderly woman sitting at the table. Uryuu tried to focus on his food.

"Where did your date go young man?" The older woman asked sweetly.

"Someone stole her," Uryuu muttered.

* * *

"Friends and family members of the University, I welcome you here tonight in honor of our esteemed guest Professor Ulquiorra Schiffer," Chancellor Takamura said, starting his introduction. He stood at the podium on the stage, the small table next to him holding a large crystal award with inscriptions on a golden plaque. Orihime glanced at Ulquiorra, who sat staring absently at the Chancellor, his eyes glazed over with disinterested and indifference. His hands were in his pockets, despite being seated, and his slouched posture gave away his disposition. It looked as if the Chancellor was talking about someone Ulquiorra had never heard about.

"Professor Schiffer received his Bachelors of Art in Philosophy and English from Columbia University, where his thesis on Nietzsche's Philosophy in American literature led him to become one of the most respected Rhodes Scholars to come out of the United States in decades. His time at the University of Oxford in England was spent on research comparing Nietzsche and Kierkegaard's concept of Despair. When he finished his Master's degree, he took a position as a professor at the University of Cambridge, where he became one of the youngest faculty members to ever achieve tenure. He has written several books too numerous to list, but some of the most notable has been _On Nihilism and the Marquis de Sade's Despair_, _The Hollowness of Doubt: Heidegger on Kierkegaard_, and his most famous book _The Fear and Trembling of Hollows._ Professor Schiffer is most notable for his introduction of the construct of the Hollow as a manifestation of Despair. This construct has spawned a plethora of research in the Philosophy world, making Professor Schiffer one of the most discussed writers in Philosophy literature today. Tonight, we are honored to present to Professor Schiffer a lifetime achievement award in Philosophy and Literature."

A loud thunder of applause followed, as a spotlight beamed onto Ulquiorra. Orihime managed to find herself under the spotlight as well, which made her feel incredibly self-conscious as she sunk into her seat hoping to not be noticed by the crowd. Ulquiorra gave a quick forced half-smile as he stood up and slowly made his way to the stage. Orihime couldn't help but smile broadly as Ulquiorra approached the stage. The list of his achievements was incredibly daunting. Although she had read about him here and there and her stalker-ish habit of googling him made her aware of how important he had become in his field, hearing the list of the things he had done in his lifetime made her feel incredibly insignificant. Though she was a surgeon, she was nowhere near close to having the amount of influence Ulquiorra had achieved. His work had essentially changed the way a majority of people thought about his field of philosophy. To have the power to change the way people think had to be the greatest achievement possible in Orihime's opinion. What Orihime had was mechanical skill; Ulquiorra possessed a level of genius thinking she felt she would never come closing to understanding. Orihime watched as the Chancellor handed the award to Ulquiorra and then stepped aside so Ulquiorra could speak into the small microphone at the podium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, friends and family members of the University," Ulquiorra began, "And esteemed guests, it is with great honor and humility that I accept this award." Another round of applause followed. Ulquiorra looked down at the award for a moment, looking almost confused. Orihime couldn't take her eyes off of him. On the stage, with so many lights on him, he looked powerful and severe. His usually intense and brilliant green eyes turned dark and mysterious and his face looked even paler with the bright lights.

"It may sound cliché, but when I began studying philosophy as a young student I had no intentions of ending up where I am now," Ulquiorra said, sounding thoughtful. "I merely wanted to understand human existence and why humans suffer, feel pain, and yet continue to thrive as a species. I remember feeling an unquenchable thirst for answers that drove me to reading everything I could on human existence. The concept of Despair and suffering became an almost obsession for me. And as I continued my search, my questions and thirst for knowledge brought me on a journey that has become as fulfilling as it has become frustrating.

It may come as a surprise to you as it certainly did to me that after all my searching, I have still not found answers that satisfy me and that, in it of itself, has created a certain kind of despair in me. Perhaps, though, this is an even greater gift- if not a burden- for I fear I may spend the rest of my life searching for these answers but never find them." Ulquiorra's low and somber voice quivered in the silence of the room. He remained monotone and the look in his eyes made him appear distant. His face remained emotionless and his eyes stayed lowered as if he were reading from script, although it was clear from Orihime's angle that he was just speaking from the top of his head. However, his audience was held captive and clung to his every word.

"Ironically, this is probably how Kierkegaard himself would have had things be; For him, to have doubt was to have faith. I doubt that I will ever find the answers I am looking for, but I must have faith that these answers exist. And because of this, I will never stop searching for these answers. I believe this is the mark of true scholarship: a relentless drive to understand something that is as elusive as it is complex. And this is what institutions of knowledge, such as this University are dedicated to. I am proud to be nothing but a contributor to the body of knowledge that this University represents. And I hope that even if I never find the answers I am looking for, that my work inspires others to continue searching as well. Thank you again, for giving me the opportunity to come here today and be a small part of your great University."

A loud round of applause erupted from the crowd as people slowly began to stand up. Ulquiorra seemed to almost blush at the standing ovation and as he shook the Chancellor's hand. He quickly exited the stage, hoping to remove himself from the spotlight as soon as possible; this was difficult, however, since the spotlight that was on him while he had been on stage merely continued to follow him when he left the stage. When he finally finished weaving through the mess of the crowd and found his way back to Orihime's side, she couldn't help but to give him a big hug and kiss on the cheek. She was beaming with pride to even know the man, let alone be his date. Unfortunately, the spotlight quickly made her show of affection visible to the crowd and their applause raised several decibels from seeing them together. Ulquiorra looked incredibly uncomfortable with all the attention, so Orihime sat back down and pulled Ulquiorra back down to his seat as well. The Chancellor returned to the podium to announce the next speaker, and the crowd slowly quieted down and gave their attention back to the commanding speaker.

"That was a wonderful speech," Orihime whispered to Ulquiorra.

"I suppose," Ulquiorra said dejectedly. Orihime frowned at him, not understanding why he was so unhappy.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just hate these things," he said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "We should go soon."

"…Alright," Orihime said reluctantly, a feeling of disappointment growing in her stomach. If he wanted to end the night so quickly, that meant their date was going to end and she would have to say good night to him. The thought made her feel incredibly depressed.

* * *

Not too much happened in this chapter, I know- but it's set up for the next chapter. I was torn about whether to make it one or two, but if it had been one chapter it would have been way too long. I tried to make the next chapter worth it! Don't forget to click that button and leave a review. Thanks!


	6. Chapter 6: The First Confession

**Chapter 6: The First Confession**

Uryuu stood clapping unenthusiastically after Ulquiorra's speech; his face was emotionless, but his chest was burning at the sight of Orihime hugging and kissing Ulquiorra. He wanted to leave the gala badly. If staying meant he had to continue watching Orihime glow with happiness and shower Ulquiorra with attention and affection, then Uryuu was better off drinking a scotch and staring at a television.

"Wasn't that a wonderful speech?" The little old lady said to Uryuu.

"Mmmhmm," Uryuu managed to get out.

"Who's that little lady with him?" She asked.

"I suppose that's his wife, honnie," the little old lady's husband replied.

"He's married? I thought he was single?" An alarmed younger woman at Uryuu's table interjected.

"They're not married," Uryuu snapped.

"Oh! Good…" The woman said, as a slow curve came onto her lips. Uryuu looked at her from the corner of his eye, an idea forming in his head.

"In fact…she's more like a sister to him," Uryuu said slowly.

"Really?" The woman replied with interest.

"Yes. You should approach him and introduce yourself. I'm sure he'd like to dance with you," he encouraged.

"Wow! You think so?"

Uryuu nodded.

"Well, in that case, I just might. I'm generally the type of woman who prefers the man make the first move," she looked over Uryuu suggestively, but he barely looked at her. She was big-haired and blonde and far too flat-chested and skinny for his tastes. Plus, he didn't find her face particularly attractive either.

"Professor Schiffer is known for being very quiet and even shy; you shouldn't hold back. Definitely go for it!" Another middle-aged woman nearby said.

"I don't know if he's shy so much as anti-social," another voice chirped in.

"Really?" The blonde said.

"Yes, I heard he's incredibly hard to work with."

"No way!"

"Oh yes! I've heard horror stories about how he treats his grad students."

"Yes, and I also heard he has quite a temper," another person added.

"I heard he's just awkward."

"I thought he had Asperger's Syndrome?"

Uryuu rolled his eyes as the people around him continued to gossip. Glancing at his watch, he noticed it was almost midnight. He could probably sneak out and his absence would not be noticed at this point. He had already made sure to talk to all the people who would have felt jilted if he hadn't said hello and paid his respects. Looking over at Orihime, however, Uryuu still felt pulled to stick around.

The current speaker had finished talking and the Chancellor announced the commencement of dessert, dancing, and drinks. He wished everyone a Happy Holiday and encouraged people to enjoy themselves. When he finished, people started to make their way to Ulquiorra. It wasn't long before the man was circled by interested parties who wanted to talk to him personally.

Orihime looked uncomfortable and took her chance to leave the table. Uryuu watched as she walked past the dance floor and over to the champagne table across the room. Without even thinking, his body was drawn to her and he found himself weaving through the crowd and trying to get to the champagne table as well. It took him a while, since most of the crowd was up off their seats by now, either socializing, drinking, or heading to the dance floor as the orchestra struck up the music again. When he finally reached her, she was already about to leave with her flute of champagne. Her eyes widen with surprise when she saw him, but they instantly turned warm and friendly.

"Uryuu! I heard you might be here. You look so handsome tonight," she said as she leaned in and gave him half of a hug with one arm, being careful to balance her almost overflowing flute of champagne.

"Inoue," Uryuu greeted. "You look beautiful as always… I see you're here with Ulquiorra."

"Mmm, yes," Orihime said, looking back at where he was now standing amongst a crowd of people.

"You two seemed to be getting to know each other again quite quickly," he observed. Orihime gave Uryuu a sharp gaze as she turned her attention back to him.

"Actually, we've barely had time to talk to each other since we've gotten here. Ulquiorra's been busy with interviews and important people. I'm just more of…"

"Arm candy?" Uryuu suggested. Orihime's eyes flashed with hurt for a moment.

"No," she said, but was unable to find another word as a rebuttal. She chose to forgive his rudeness and change the subject. "Are you here with a date?"

"No," he said quickly. "I tend to do better alone these days."

Orihime's eyes darkened with sympathy when he said this. She felt incredibly awkward and helpless in that moment. Every time she saw Uryuu, he seemed more and more distant. It was impossible to reach him. It was getting to the point where she didn't know how to talk to him anymore.

She struggled for something to say. Right at that moment though, she was saved when Ulquiorra approached, putting a hand on the small of her back. She shivered at his touch and looked up gratefully for his save.

"Here you are," he said with his low and quiet voice, his intense gaze focused entirely on her and barely noticing Uryuu.

"I was thinking of kidnapping her from you for the evening," Uryuu said dryly. Orihime suppressed a sigh of dismay and then decided to cope by guzzling her champagne.

"Good evening, Uryuu Ishida." Ulquiorra responded calmly, not taking Uryuu's sardonic bait. Without sparing Uryuu a glance, Ulquiorra turned to Orihime and asked, "Dr. Inoue, would you care to dance with me?"

"Ah…" Orihime flashed Uryuu a helpless glance. "I would love to," she said as she allowed herself to be pulled by Ulquiorra away from Uryuu.

"Goodnight, Uryuu," Orihime called back to him.

Uryuu didn't answer her; he simply stood staring at her with a distant look in his eyes. Orihime thought they looked with sad eyes for a moment and even thought she had seen a flash of regret in them. Would they ever get back to normal?

She was so distracted by her thoughts that she didn't even notice when Ulquiorra had pulled her into his arms and had started leading them in a slow waltz. His left arm hooked around her waist and his right hand held hers closely at their chests. His body was flush against hers and soon she began to feel a heat building between them.

"I'm sorry. That must have been awkward for you," Orihime said, keeping her eyes averted from his intense green stare. She felt guilty for some odd reason, but she didn't know why.

"I merely wanted to get to you so I could avoid all those other people," Ulquiorra stated.

"Oh? Well, I'm glad I could be of service," she said looking back up at him and grinning. She was glad he was keeping things light at the moment. It brought her out of her darker thoughts.

"Yes, and you will also be doing me the favor of keeping those vapid women away." His words, though spoken in monotone, sounded particularly cruel. Orihime couldn't help but glance around the ballroom. There were indeed a number of women who were sending her menacing glares.

"Well I can't stop them from wanting you," Orihime said, laughing nervously.

He lowered his head so he could whisper into her ear, "Sure you can. Just look as completely fascinated with me as possible and I will pretend that you are the only woman for me."

Did he know she was already madly fascinated by him? Just the way he was looking at her at that moment made her feel like she was the only woman in the room, but was he just pretending? Was this all in her head? His piercing green eyes held her spellbound, and she suddenly felt breathless. He moved her effortlessly through the crowded dance floor with a grace that overwhelmed her usual clumsiness; and soon she felt her body betray her, having found its new master.

They were quiet for quite a while, only listening to the orchestra and the quiet chatter of the crowd. Orihime rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She pretended the rest of the world didn't exist for that moment. She focused on the feel of Ulquiorra's body, the movement of their dancing, and the music that seemed to have drugged the crowd into submission. She was loving the luscious warmth of his body, the masculinity of the hard muscles she felt underneath his tuxedo, and the calming rhythm of his breathing.

"Do you want to leave?" He whispered suddenly. Her gaze snapped up at his suggestion. She felt like they had barely just started dancing.

"Uh…It's…It's up to you, I guess," she mumbled.

"Okay, let's get our things," he stated and began to lead her off the dance floor. She was beginning to see that he could be incredibly unpredictable.

Disappointment was slowly seeping into Orihime's system, and as she followed Ulquiorra she suddenly realized that she didn't know how she felt about him at all. Yes, his re-entrance in her life excited her on a level she hadn't felt in a long time; but they had barely talked all night and everything she knew about him was completely superficial. This wasn't the Ulquiorra she had known in Hueco Mundo, this was a complete stranger. She didn't know how to react to him.

Suddenly, she could picture a little angel Tatsuki sitting on her shoulder and interrogating her about what she was doing. _Could they really continue as they were doing and pretend that they really were just two normal human beings who had reconnected after a long time apart? Could she really pretend that they didn't have a past that was traumatic if not painful?_ He had revealed so little about himself, about his personal self, that Orihime had no idea who he had actually become after being forced into a human life.

"You are quiet. What's wrong?" He asked as they retrieved their coats and scarves from the coat-check room.

"Nothing," she said, quickly shaking her head. He paused in putting on his coat and looked at her speculatively for a moment.

"Do not put on your coat," he said.

"Why?"

"Just follow me," he said as he took her free hand that wasn't holding her coat and scarf.

Orihime helplessly followed Ulquiorra as he led her toward the exit of the ballroom and out into the lobby of the hotel. Several people noticed their exit with curious glances, but no one impeded their progress. Had anyone tried to stop them, they would have found it to be quite difficult at the rapid speed Ulquiorra was walking.

When they reached the lobby, he pulled her off to a side hallway past the main lobby desk. There, he found an elevator and hit the up button.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"You will see," he simply stated. The elevator arrived with a soft "Ding!" and they stepped inside. Ulquiorra procured a card from his pocket and waved it at a motion detector next to the elevator buttons. When a little light turned from red to green, he hit a button that said 18, the very top floor. Orihime waited quietly, holding her coat and scarf in her arms while she watched the numbers change and listened to the elevator beep as they passed several floors. For some reason, Orihime couldn't bring herself to look at Ulquiorra at that moment. She was worried that if she did, she would be reminded of their past and would run away and never look back.

"Here we are," he said as the elevator doors opened. He waited for her to exit the elevator first before following her. Orihime looked around the floor they had just arrived and gasped. It was a penthouse bar with a 360 degree panoramic view of the city at night. The bar had low pink and blue-ish lights and quiet jazz music played, but it was the view of the city slowly being covered in a blanket of snow that had taken her breath away.

"It's beautiful up here," Orihime said in a daze.

"I thought you might like it," he said quietly. He wasn't looking at the beautiful scenery though, he simply watched Orihime's reaction; he liked the way emotions danced across her face so effortlessly. He liked how she could turn from quiet to excited, from contemplative to verbose, and from disappointed to happy in such a short span of time. Watching her was like watching a flame leap and dance in the wind.

He took her hand and led her over to a table and chairs overlooking the streets below. They draped their coats and scarves over the leather chairs and climbed into the high-backed bar stools. The table between them was a tiny glass oval that had just enough room for the thin vase with a single rose in it, a couple of votive candles, and possibly a few drinks. Orihime placed her purse on the table and gazed outside with wide and excited eyes.

"It looks so peaceful outside," she remarked.

"Yes, the snow does that…" He murmured, his green gaze still fixed on her rosy cheeks, pink lips, and sparkling grey eyes. A waiter noticed them and made this way to them.

"May I get you a drink?" He asked eagerly. The bar was sparsely populated, probably because most of the patrons were downstairs at the party.

"I will have a scotch and…?" Ulquiorra waited for Orihime's order.

"Uh…champagne please," she said distractedly; the snow outside was making the city look surreal, like a wonderland in a dream. The waiter mumbled an "of course" and disappeared.

Orihime and Ulquiorra sat there silently appreciating the snow for a while. Neither of them felt compelled to say much. Several minutes passed before the waiter returned with their drinks, and Orihime finally snapped out of her daze. Rolling the stem of the champagne flute in between her finger and thumb, she looked up at Ulquiorra finally and gave him a soft smile.

"Thank you for asking me out tonight," she said quietly, hoping not to disturb the peacefulness of the bar.

"It has been my pleasure," he responded politely as he took a sip of his scotch. He sat back in his chair, appearing relaxed now compared to his nervousness earlier amongst the crowd.

"Can I ask you something?" Orihime said, taking a sip of her own drink. Ulquiorra didn't respond, but his raised eyebrows gave her the permission to go ahead with her question. "Why did you invite me here?"

"Why did you invite me to the Kurosaki baby shower?" He countered, his green eyes fixed on her. She looked away shyly.

"I don't know…" She was glad they were sitting by the window. It gave her something else to look at so she could avoid his intense gaze. There were a few people out on the streets; they looked like tiny dots moving across the white of the sidewalk. "I was excited to see you again," she confessed.

Ulquiorra watched her closely; she looked sad when she said that, and he wasn't sure how to respond. Twelve years as a human had taught him very little about how to read people. His colleagues had assured him that women, in particular, would always be difficult to read.

"And yet…?" He waited for more. She laughed nervously, sipping her champagne.

"This is weird, isn't it?" She wrinkled her cute little nose. Ulquiorra looked up at the ceiling while he waited a beat, unsure of where the woman was going with this.

"No weirder than earlier today when we were at the bakery I assume?"

"Okay, this is driving me nuts!" She suddenly snapped, raising her voice. The few people in the bar looked her way as she disturbed the peacefulness. She covered her mouth, looking very embarrassed by her outburst. "Okay, I have to ask you some things otherwise I'll just go crazy," she whispered to him.

"Go on…"

"Okay, do you hate me?"

"What?" Ulquiorra frowned. Women were indeed confusing, and he was glad that he did not study the female sex for he was sure he would have never even passed any of his examinations.

"Are you mad…?" She blinked, looking forlorn. "Are you mad about how things turned out?"

"Could you please be more specific, Dr. Inoue?" He was beginning to feel anxious for some reason. The woman had a certain way about her that moved him to nervousness too easily.

"Are you mad about how they forced you to become human as your punishment?"

"…"

"Are you mad that you lost the war?"

"…"

"Are you mad that Aizen and so many of your friends died?"

"…"

"Are you mad about anything?" She raised her voice again, and instantly regretted her outburst again. Maybe the champagne was getting to her?

"No…I…do not feel any anger about how the war ended," he began slowly, choosing his words carefully.

"Really? Why?"

"I do not feel any anger about becoming a human…" He continued, his eyes averted in thought. Orihime decided it was time for her to shut her mouth and let him speak. He waited a moment before continuing. "I feel very little anger…in general, actually."

"Why not?" She asked more calmly. He took a deep gulp of his drink and raised his glass, indicating to the waiter over by the bar that he wanted another. A long silent moment passed; Ulquiorra did not respond and his gaze remained on the table.

"Aizen and the other arrancars were not my friends," he explained, finally breaking the silence. He continued to stare at the glass table. He couldn't look at her dazzling silver eyes and think at the same time. Ulquiorra was struggling desperately inside to figure out how to answer her questions. As a philosopher, he understood the importance of finding answers to questions. He knew that these were questions that she needed to be answered in order to find peace between them. He felt anxious though because he was unsure if his answers would be adequate. He was unsure if she would accept him for the human man he had struggled to become. It was possible that nothing he said could satisfy her.

"What _did_ you feel when you found out? When the war ended?" She asked, hoping this time her rephrasing of the question would make it easier for him. The waiter reappeared and replaced Ulquiorra's empty glass with another one filled with amber-colored scotch. Orihime gave the waiter a small smile and handed him her glass, indicating that she too needed another.

"I…felt…" Ulquiorra frowned with consternation. "I felt regret."

Orihime watched him attentively now that he was trying to answer her questions. She waited patiently for him to continue. He swirled his drink around in his glass, looking deep in thought.

"I felt regret that I lost…that I was weak; I felt regret that I didn't die, that they wouldn't let me die." He looked down at her hands that were folded on the table. "I felt regret that I did not get the chance to understand you and your heart." His green eyes looked up at her with trepidation. Orihime's face softened as she sighed.

"What about Aizen?" She asked slowly.

"Aizen gave us a purpose…we were drawn to his power and his promise of more power. I thought…I remember thinking that if I stayed with him and served him that I could unlearn my fear. I did not know it was fear that was driving me at the time." The waiter returned with Orihime's drink and she shot him an annoyed glance for disrupting Ulquiorra.

"With Aizen, I had a reason to be; I had a reason to exist. All I knew was despair and I did not know why…I just knew darkness and I wanted to know more…"

"So what happened when they made you human?" Orihime asked. He took another deep swig of his scotch.

"At first I thought it was a fate worse than death," he said, making a face of disgust. "Becoming human was a torture of the mind. Emotions…consciousness…rational logic…I suddenly had all this time and I became fully aware of all the repulsive things I had done. I hated my ignorance and my limited thinking. I thought about taking my life many times."

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He looked at her with pleading tortured eyes.

"Please don't be. It is hard enough to tell you these things."

She nodded somberly. He was quiet and distant again for a moment; he focused his gaze on the soft falling snow outside. She waited for him to say more, but when he looked at her again he just shrugged as if to say he had nothing else to say.

"And now?" She asked. She wanted to stop inquiring; her questions were obviously tormenting him, but she couldn't stop herself. Words just kept coming out of her mouth without control. She wondered if she might have had a little too much to drink. To her surprise, instead of his anguished look, he appeared thoughtful in response to her question.

"There is a concept in philosophy…this idea of forgiveness through punishment," he shook his head as he said this and continued to swirl his drink around in his glass. "I will not entertain the thought of forgiveness; but this human life is my punishment and I must live it."

"Isn't there anything in philosophy about redemption?" Orihime offered.

"I have not found anything on it with a compelling enough argument."

"Mmm…what about me?" She asked slowly. He raised his eyebrows again, questioning her.

"You…are a different story," he said simply, without elaboration.

"Oh." She couldn't muster up anything else to say in response. The champagne was starting to get to her head. She had so many things she wanted to say but it was becoming increasingly difficult to form complete thoughts. "I wanna be your story," she said, her words starting to slur.

"What?"

"I want you," she finally confessed. It was amazing how easily that came out after a few glasses of champagne. She felt quite proud of herself. She felt bold, lusty, and reckless. He gave a very brief and barely audible laugh in response to her confession.

"Perhaps it is time we get you home," he said in a low voice, pulling out his wallet and leaving a few bills on the table.

"Let me help!" She said reaching for her purse.

"No, no. That is quite alright. I've got it," he said as he stood up and grabbed his coat and scarf with one arm, and helped Orihime get off her chair with the other arm. When Orihime started to walk to the elevator without her coat and scarf, dragging Ulquiorra by the hand; he decided it was definitely time to end the evening. He quickly grabbed her coat and scarf before allowing himself to be completely pulled away by Orihime. She dragged them to the elevator where she pressed the down button.

"I will get you a cab home."

"You're not going to take me home?" She cried out, pouting and batting her thick dark lashes. He sighed, helplessly captivated by her glowing face.

"We have been both drinking. I do not think it would be wise for either of us to drive," he pointed out. She let out an exaggerated sigh.

"Alright, but we'll share a cab?"

"No."

"Why not?" She said again, her voice now becoming a bit too loud for the bar. Ulquiorra was grateful when the elevator finally arrived and they stepped safely inside.

"Because this is the hotel the University put me in."

"Where's your room?" She asked turning to face him in the elevator and taking a couple steps toward him, closing the distance between them.

"The eighth floor…" He raised an eyebrow as she started to get dangerously close to him. He could smell her sweet alluring perfume, and he began to worry as his heart beat sped up.

"Can I see it?" She asked taking another step in as he took a step back from her. As he felt the wall of the elevator at his back, he realized he was now trapped. She reached out and pushed the 8 button.

"Dr. Inoue, I do not think this is a good idea…" He said, helplessly looking at the elevator numbers as they got closer to his floor.

"Well, you know…I haven't been with a man in a while," she said, reaching up and finger the lapel of his tuxedo jacket. The elevator softly "ding"-ed and Ulquiorra and Orihime found themselves on the eighth floor. Another couple stood there waiting to take the elevator down. Orihime grabbed Ulquiorra's hand and tried to pull him off the elevator. He resisted, hoping to get her back on so he could take her down to the lobby. The impatient couple rolled their eyes and stepped onto the elevator.

Orihime now stood just outside the elevator in the hallway with an iron grip on Ulquiorra's hand, while he stood just inside the elevator. Their outstretched arms were standing between the elevator doors that were starting to close.

"Come on guys!" The other man in the elevator said in an annoyed voice as he pressed the button to open the door. "Make up your mind before your arms get chopped off!"

Ulquiorra cursed silently and stepped off the elevator. The doors closed and the elevator disappeared. Ulquiorra quickly pressed the down button and waited for the other elevator next to the one they had just hopped off to come.

"Dr. Inoue…" He said as he turned to face her. She giggled at him. He looked so serious and annoyed, and for some reason Orihime found it completely irresistible. She let go of his hand, and now with her arms free, she wrapped them around his neck, stood up on her tip toes and kissed him.

Despite her aggressiveness, her kiss started surprisingly soft and tender. Her lips moved forward, gently brushing his lips, as if testing the waters before jumping in. He felt frozen as she slowly moved her lips over his, a burning ache starting to form in his lower regions. The scotch had rendered him completely helpless against her charms. He could smell her perfume, feel stray strands of her golden-red hair tickling his cheeks and feel the heat radiating off her. He slowly started to return her kiss, moving his lips over hers with a gentle pressure. She tilted her head to get a better angle but started to teeter unbalanced; he placed his hands at her hips to steady her. She pulled away for a brief moment to catch her breath, and he could hear her soft sigh. It was too late though; he had gotten a taste of her now and wanted more.

He pulled her hips against his and then recaptured her lips. This time, he kissed her harder and without hesitation. His mouth slanted against hers and his soft wet tongue slid forward through her lips and brushed up against her tongue. A hot fire seemed to explode through her body as she sagged against him; her arms stayed wrapped around his neck tightly, and her fingers dug into his hair, gripping its long dark strands. She melted against him, moaning as her tongue rubbed and played with his. His left hand dug deeply into her hip while his other hand moved up and down her back, slowly reaching down and cupping her butt. He pushed his hips against hers again and this time she could feel that he was rock hard.

He kissed her aggressively, pushing her up against the wall in the hallway. His left hand left her hip and wandered down to her thigh. She whimpered as his skillful fingers started to push the hem of her skirt upward. He needed to, _had_ to feel more skin and her pantyhose was driving him insane. Her dress was tight around her hips and thighs, and it made it difficult for him to just pull up one side of the dress' hem. She felt herself tighten and ache between her legs for more and she too became frustrated that she had chosen to wear pantyhose and desperately wanted to get them off. Neither of them remembered that they were still in a public hallway, right next to the elevator where it was most likely for people to spot them. They were too intoxicated with each other; their breaths quickening with desperation.

She ran her tongue over his lower lip before biting it. He let out a strained moan as he kissed her harder and pushed the hem of her dress past the top of her thigh high pantyhose. The bottom of her dress was completely scrunched up around her hips and she felt the cool air against her practically bare ass. She briefly registered that she was now almost completely bare below her waist with the exception of her lace panties and thigh high pantyhose. The fingers of his left hand dug into the soft smooth skin of her bare thighs, while his right hand moved from the small of her back up to the nape of her neck. His hand wrapped around the back of her neck tightly and held her steady so he could tilt his head and dig his tongue deeper in the recesses of her mouth. He held her tight enough to bruise her, but she welcomed the pain, reveling in it. Her bright auburn hair that had been put up for the night started to tumble down to her shoulders as his fingers reached upward from her neck and ran through the soft tresses.

Her hips rocked against him, wanting to create more friction, as his is fingers became eager, sliding up her sensitive inner thighs and reaching over to her warm and wet panties. Instead of pressing or moving his fingers underneath the delicate piece of lace in between her legs, he merely settled for running the thick pads of his fingers over the piece of lace, moving back and forth across her wet lips. His mouth kissed across her cheek over to her earlobe where he gently nibbled on it before sliding his tongue across the sensitive spot on her neck right behind her ear. Then his lips moved south. His lips and tongue kissed, and sucked, and soothed its way down her neck, while his right hand moved to the tops of her bare breasts. His fingers dug underneath the top of her strapless dress and strapless bra as he began to tug both down. He wanted the weight of her luscious breasts in his palms; he wanted to squeeze and mold them until he made them completely his.

She felt like she couldn't breathe. Her body was a full fever, and she throbbed for him down there. Both of them being impatient, he finally settled for merely pushing the small piece of lace in between her legs to the side. His breath was irregular and raspy, and a low pained moan escaped his mouth when his fingers finally found her wet center. Orihime screamed out as the tips of his fingers slid into her. The very core of her burned with a blinding pleasure that radiated outward to every limb of her body. She swallowed hard as he began his assault on her, probing her, teasing her, bringing her almost over the edge but stopping when she whimpered for more. His fingers slid in and out and she clenched her walls down on him; she needed it faster and deeper.

And when she thought he couldn't possibly torture her more, his fingers moved up, sliding between her hot lips and finding her throbbing aching clitoris. He gently put pressure on it, sliding the pad of his index finger back and forth over it. She cried out loudly as pleasure blazed through her body. She was physically shaking she was so ready to come, but he wouldn't let her. She felt completely weak in his arms. His hips unconsciously pressed and rubbed his hardness against her thighs, and his fingers dug even further into her skin.

Her loud cries had pulled some sense back into Ulquiorra's mind as he knew they needed to get out of the public hallway. Orihime was practically half naked at this point and he had his hands and fingers in all the wrong places for public decorum, regardless of how right it felt to his body. He pulled her away from the wall, reached down to her legs. He lifted her up and began to carry her down the hall.

"What are you doing?" She asked breathless and completely disoriented. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pushing her chest against the side of his face. His head turned until his mouth caught one of her pink nipples that peaked out from the top of her strapless dress..

In a strained and hoarse voice he said, "I want you naked on my bed."


	7. Chapter 7: The Night

Fun fact: The title of this story is named after Kierkegaard's (the main philosopher Ulquiorra studies) construct of faith and commitment in the face of uncertainty, commonly known as 'of a leap of faith.' My fiance should be credited with any mention of philosophy in the story as his smart ass holds a degree in it.

A shorter chapter, but with lots of lemon. If you dislike, skipped to the very last section. Otherwise: Enjoy!

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**Chapter 7: The Night**

She had lost all concept of time and space as she clung to Ulquiorra's shoulders. She could hear his fast raspy breathing as her carried her into the dark room. She didn't know where she was; she was so disoriented with aching need. All of her skin seemed intensely sensitive, his every touch echoing through the rest of her body. She could feel the damp sweat on his skin. She turned her head and licked the saltiness of the muscle on his neck and she heard a pained groan in response from him. Suddenly he was lowering her and she felt the soft smooth sheets of the bed beneath her. He kneeled next to her on the bed, his weight shifting her body a little bit; she could still hear him struggling with his breathing.

As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and slowly she began to see his outline against the blue light from the curtained window. The pale orange beam of a small lamp on the far wall was the only other source of light in the room. His figure was a shadow, blocking out most of the light. He was tall and grand and in her lust-drugged-state he seemed impossibly powerful. He took off his tuxedo jacket, and she lay there watching him struggle to undo his tie. Feeling impatient, she sat up wanting to undress him more quickly. Her head was spinning from either desire or champagne; and though she teetered unbalanced on the soft bed, she somehow managed to find his shirt. Her fingers seemed to have a life of their own; they were dexterous and swift as she slipped the buttons off furiously. When she had most of the buttons undone, she eagerly reached inside, spreading her palm against the hot searing heat of his chest. She heard herself hum with approving pleasure at the texture of the hair on his chest as it slipped through her fingers. Exhaling breathlessly, she leaned in and began kissing his chest, moving her mouth up to his collarbone, and over to his neck where his hollow hole had once been. Her hands clutched the bare skin of his shoulder and chest, nails digging in with vigor.

He continued to undress, this time reaching to undo his buckle and unbutton his pants. Her hand reached down further inside his shirt, exploring his well-toned body. The muscles underneath her hands tightened reflexively against her touch. He made a small sound of impatience as he finally managed to completely undo his pants. They fell to his feet and he quickly kicked off his shoes. In the dark, her silver gaze caught his deep emerald eyes and she almost gasped at the savage intensity she saw in his face.

He could see her sudden fear, but it was too late. He had her now and he knew that there was no going back. Pushing her gently back onto the bed, he began to focus on her. He easily slipped off her strappy heels before running his hands up the calves of her pantyhosed legs. His touch wavered from a light caress to a gripping squeeze as he felt the curves of her legs. When his fingers reached the tops of her thigh high pantyhose he bent over and pressed his lips against the sensitive skin of her inner thighs. Orihime writhed around underneath his ministrations as he licked and kissed his way back down her leg while sliding off the pantyhose. When he finished with one leg, he paused and took her barefoot into his hands. For a short moment he ran his thumb across the arch of her foot and her toes curled with a pleasure she did not know existed. As his light touch moved back and forth, every sensitive spot of pleasure on her body lit up.

His breathing was heavy as he staved off his desire to enter her immediately and start thrusting until she screamed his name. His focus of attention shifted as he moved over to her other still covered leg and repeated his motions. Her thigh, then the sides and backs of her knees, and then her calves were all covered by his kisses. He took his time in savoring the taste of every curve of her leg. When he finally finished taking off her pantyhose, he grabbed her hips with a fierce determination. As he moved her down the bed, he ordered in a quiet and low voice, "Turn over."

She had no choice but to give into his demand; she turned over so she could lay on her stomach and rest the side of her head on the pillow. She couldn't see what he was doing, but she could feel everything. His hands moved up the backs of her thighs and up and over her butt. He groped her there, appreciating her firm curves before sliding his hands upward toward his goal. When he found it, he took a surprisingly slow amount of time to pull the zipper of her dress downward, releasing Orihime from the confines of her dress. She heard herself moaning, quietly pleading for him to hurry as she squirmed underneath him; she heard a quiet derisive laugh as he unclipped her strapless bra. Her body couldn't stop moving, shifting, writhing with need. But, he kneeled over her, his legs trapping her legs between his; and she was forced to continue to lay on her stomach as he spread the palms of his hands across her the smooth planes of her back. He could feel the warmth of her skin as he slid his hands up and down her back, appreciating its subtle beauty in the night's blue light.

Orihime pushed herself upward, propping herself up with her elbows; and he finally relented, slipping a leg to the other of side of her so she could turn over. Orihime quickly grabbed the tops of her dress and bra and slipped it down to her waist where her fingers joined with his as he took over, pulling the dress off. There in the stillness of night, he stopped everything he was doing. Still kneeling on the bed, his dark green eyes focused on the white shapes, curves and planes of her bare body. In the dark, she looked completely different; during the day she would glow like sunshine but tonight she was mysterious and exotic…a foreign land he had only dreamed of but never thought he'd get the chance to explore. His piercing stare forced her to remain unmoving and quiet for a moment. Both of them remained silent, hearing their own loud fast heartbeats and strained breaths. He caught her silver gaze and both of them saw hunger in each other's eyes.

He leaned over, covering her bare body with his and resting his arms on either side of her head. She gasped as the steaming heat of his skin met hers with excruciating pleasure. She reveled in how well his body fit into the curves of hers like they were always meant to be this way- connected, whole, one. His head lowered until his nose was barely touching hers and she could feel his warm breath on her. The tips of his dark hair hung down around her cheeks, tickling her; and she reached up, running her fingers through his surprisingly babysoft hair. He reached down, cupping her cheek with his hand as he stared deep into her eyes. Her silvery-grey eyes were mercurial and hypnotizing, and he felt himself locked into their spell. It was her who finally set him free by raising her head and brushing her lips over his. He returned her kiss, but gone was his need for gentle teasing and tasting. His kiss was slow, but carnal in need, pressing his lips down hard on her and opening up her lips with his tongue. His kiss was hard and almost unkind; she could feel his teeth grazing her sore lips, but her tongue and mouth wanted more. Their breaths were hot and in sync as they fed on each other. Her arms encircled him, nails gripping his sweaty skin; and her legs moved restlessly, tangling with his legs.

Every time she shifted her legs, she felt his hardness underneath his boxers rub up against her sensitive and aching center. One of his hands reached down and pulled one side of his boxers down as she helped him with the other side. She pushed the boxers as far down as she could with her hands, before using her foot to pull them to his ankles where he quickly kicked them away. His searing hot manhood settled against her wetness, and her hips moved up, rubbing herself shamelessly against his hardness as he continued to devour her with kisses. A strained groan escaped from his mouth as he pulled his lips away and began a trail of kisses down her throat. Orihime lay helplessly as his mouth moved down over to her collarbone, where he licked and kissed before moving down to her soft sensitive breasts.

Shifting his weight, Ulquiorra moved his body down slightly so that his mouth could easily access her soft eager nipples. He licked at first one nipple first, eliciting a pained moan from Orihime, before taking it completely into his mouth and sucking hard. He grazed his teeth over it, before pulling away. His hot breath cooled the wetness he left on her breast. Her chest rose up and down as breathing became more difficult for her. He turned his attention to her other breast as one of his hands slipped down to pull off the only piece of a fabric left between them.

Before long, the lace panties were gone and he settled himself into her warm wetness. He didn't move in, but instead rubbed his hips back and forth, sliding his hard and long length against her slick folds. When he briefly brushed against her clitoris, she cried out at the acute pleasure. "Please…please…" She begged, squeezing Ulquiorra's hips in between her quivering thighs. He fixed his dark green intense gaze on her, and she felt lost in its forest; he reached up with a hand and gently caressed her cheek. There was lust in his eyes but it was mixed with something else− a different kind of longing that confused her. He held his breathing for a moment; and when he exhaled, she thought he looked like he was going to say something but chose not to. Instead, he reared up his hips and slid his hot hard manhood into her. She was wet enough that he slid in without much resistance, but she could still feel herself stretch to fit his large size. A pained moan broke from her mouth as she arched her back trying to fit him entirely into her. He teased her, pulling back slightly from her and then slamming himself back into her, filling her up completely. Her fingers gripped his biceps, holding on as he pulled back once again and penetrated her with even greater force. This time the loud cry of pleasure and her heavy breathing turned into desperate moan at the delicious pleasure of the rhythm he was slowly building.

Her fingers slid up the damp skin of his arms and shoulders until they found his dark locks of hair. She gripped and pulled at his hair, and he let out a harsh groan as he pumped himself deeper into her; he could feel her walls quivering and a sharp loud cry told him he had found her spot. Instead of pulling back and penetrating again, he stayed completely inside her and grinded his hips against hers. She felt the tip of his penis rubbing against the tight wall of her g-spot and she felt her whole body tremble; before she could blink her body tensed and froze for a moment in time, and then exploded into a blinding climax. Her vision went white and she saw stars as she fell apart underneath him. He could feel the milky wetness of her walls tremor, as he paused for a moment, unmoving. He waited as she reveled in a luscious euphoria. Her eyes were closed, her cheeks and chest pink, and her skin damp with sweat. She glistened beautifully in front of him. There amongst his tangled sheets, he saw who she was; he narrowed his eyes with determination as he thought to himself: _mine._

He began to pump ruthlessly in and out of her. His muscles were quickly tensing, his grip on her tightened, and he had difficulty breathing. His face expressed a savage harshness as he sought to completely conquer her. He began thrusting deeper, harder, and faster; and without even realizing, Orihime began moving her hips to match his as well. Their bodies synced in movement as they raced toward the finish. Orihime heard a deep and harsh cry out loud as he came, gripping her hips and buckling against her. She felt his hot liquid spew forth inside her as he fell onto her, before rolling to the side, panting and trembling at the orgasm's intensity. They were a tangled mess of wet limbs, quivering muscles, and breathlessness. Orihime felt her entire skin hum with pleasure. She curled up against his side as he tucked her underneath his arm. She rested her head on his shoulder, and her satiated body gave way to fatigue. When she started giving in to sleep, she couldn't help but marvel at how good it had felt to be in Ulquiorra's arms.

* * *

Orihime dreamed of angels and demons. In her dream she was a child chasing a kite in a meadow, with the hazy orange glow of sunshine making her bright auburn hair glow. She wore a pink dress trimmed with lace and wired-netted and glittery fake angel wings. Her giggling echoed throughout the meadow as she ran around. She was alone, but she was happy; she danced around in the meadow singing songs to herself and the butterflies.

Suddenly, a quake shook the ground, and she tumbled over onto the ground. As a large crack broke open in the ground, she screamed in terror as blazing hot flames shot up. The ground continued to shake violently as the crack in the ground grew bigger and bigger. The flames attacked the air, blowing smoke everywhere that made Orihime cough and squint as it burned her eyes. She huddled away from the crack terrified.

Then, up and out of the crack something flew, swooping high into the sky and then back down again. It looked like a dark large body with wings, but she couldn't make out what it was. It looked like the shadow of a dragon, but not quite. Its wings flapped like a bat's, but his limbs were too human. She sat and stared helplessly as he flew and landed in front of her. The creature stood upright with his human legs and opened its wings.

Orihime screamed, seeing his demon eyes and grotesque animal shape.

Immediately, though, she found herself encased by his wings. He held her close to his body, protectively, and she could feel the animal hair on his chest. When she looked up she saw a familiar face and it was then that she realized she was no longer a child but a grown woman.

"_Are you afraid_?" The whisper taunted.

She woke up with a jolt, finding herself warm and safe in someone's arms. He lay behind her, spooning her; his bottom arm acting like her pillow and his other arm curved around her hip possessively. Her hand was in his, their fingers interlaced, and she felt the entire length of his scorching hot body against her back, bottom, and legs. Waking up had caused her to move suddenly with alarm, but she relaxed a bit when she heard him murmur something soothing in her ear as he held her even tighter in his arms. As her mind slowly cleared, she shifted around in Ulquiorra's arms trying to orient herself to her unknown surroundings. Her movement caused her bottom to rub against his groin, and soon she felt him growing hard. She started to say something to him but he quieted her.

"Shhhh…" He said, drawing up their intertwined fingers and moving them down over the front of her warm body. She felt his fingers brushing over the mound of her breast, across her sensitive nipple, down the slope of her ribs, and across her belly; she also felt herself touching her body in a new wondrous exploration. Her fingers brushed across the slope of her breast, over her nipple, and down her front side. He moved her fingers for her, both of them exploring her luscious curves, smooth dips, and soft planes. She let out a slow shaky breath as she felt her clit ache when he forced her to pinch her own nipples. She could hear his heavy hot breathing in her ear.

Moving her hands from her breasts, he brought their entwined hands down and over the slope of her hip, across the sensitive skin that stretched over her hip bones, and down even further until their knuckles brushed the tops of her soft curls. At the same time, she felt him shift behind her so he could lower his head and plant soft kisses on the length of her neck. She inhaled sharply at pleasure of their dual touch. She moved her hips back against his hard length, feeling his dick rubbing her buttocks. She tried to remove her hand from his so she could touch him, but he wouldn't let her. He held her hand tightly in his, orchestrating her entire body's movements. She felt her body growing hot and damp as he moved their fingers even further south, parting her soft red curls and sliding in between her legs.

Orihime gasped and whispered, "No…" but her protests were unheard as he forced her own fingers to part the protective wet lips and then pierce the very center core of her body's nerves. A pleasure acute to pain burned through her body like a wildfire, and she whimpered helplessly as she and Ulquiorra's fingers began to rub her clitoris. Her hips rocked back and forth, running his hot penis down against her soft wet opening. His breath quickened and she heard him mutter something harshly as her hip movements covered his penis in her milky wetness, allowing his hot hard length to slide back and forth against the crevice of her butt. In return, he forced their entwined fingers to rub her clitoris even faster, sliding down deeper to retrieve her wetness and rubbing it over her sensitive bud. She could feel every single muscle in her body tighten and sting with need. Somewhere inside of her, a spot ached to be pushed, hit, and pounded against. She moaned, a soft pained sound of torture. "Please…please…" She said, moving her hips furiously now against his, trying to get him to slide inside her.

"Shhh…" He said as he nibbled at her earlobe and continued his slow orchestration. Orihime could feel herself tighten and tighten, wanting release so badly.

"Please…please…I need….oh god!" She cried out as he slipped the tip of his slick penis inside her. She was tight and with her legs pressed together it was almost impossible for him to get anything more than just the tip of his penis in her. Nevertheless, he pulled his hips back and pushed himself even further inside. Her insides were crying out for him, demanding his full presence immediately. He finally let go of her hand, and now it was just his fingers that was rubbing her clit, his rhythm in sync with the movement of his penis against her opening.

It was too much; Orihime felt herself go stiff, her breath stopped, and somewhere inside she felt shattered as a piercing pleasure exploded throughout her body. She cried out as she climaxed, her voice sounding like she was truly crying out of pain or torture; and part of her did feel pain, but it was a part of the world's most satiating pleasure possible. With uneven and rasping breaths, she let him roll her over so she could lay on her back. His head lowered, and he kissed her tenderly. His body was pressed up against her that she could feel and hear his steady but fast heartbeat. His kisses grew deeper as his tongue moved in and tasted her sweet mouth. Orihime parted her lips, welcoming and receiving his teasing tongue with her own. His wet mouth moved over her mouth, across her cheek to her ear where he sucked on her earlobe and then ordered in a low and desperate voice, "Ride me."

She moaned with delightful anticipation as she sat up. She gave him a dazzling smile as she climbed on top of him, spreading her legs on either side of her hips. Reaching down she took his throbbing hot penis in her small hand and he hissed, his entire body tensing up underneath her touch. She laughed gleefully at her newfound power as she guided his hard long length into her soft wet opening. Slowly, she slid him into her, inch by inch, until she had him completely deep inside of her. She sat straddling him as she leaned forward, nails scraping down the front of his chest and stomach. He let out a harsh groan as his head tilted back, his face grimacing at the pleasure. It took every ounce of his control to leave his hands at her hips and let her set the pace. He was out of breath and sweating as his heavy-lidded piercing green eyes found hers. She gleamed like an angel he had dreamed of once and he was left breathless at her beauty.

She began to rock back and forth slowly, forming a steady rhythm. Every movement, the slightest twitch, the slightest caress set him on edge. Every muscle in his body was primed; he could feel his hot hard penis was ready. Then suddenly, she grabbed his shoulders with her hands, fingernails digging in deeply into his pale skin, and then began to ride him fast and hard. The bed creaked and she bounced on top of him, his eyes taking in the glory of her curves in movement. She raced him ruthlessly with a female power that was crippling. He heard himself groan harshly in a voice that did not sound like his own.

And then he exploded into her, her hot insides melting against his hard length. Exhausted from her work, she collapsed on top of him out of breath and shaking. His arms circled her delicate frame, holding her gently and whispering soothing words that she did not think possible for him to ever say. Her eyes grew heavy and she let them close; her body was on top of his, her damp skin against his damp skin. His chest heaved up and down with the effort of coming down from his climax. He shifted her slightly off his chest and back into her position, curled up against his side. Both of them slept soundly for the rest of the night without any dreams.

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Ichigo woke to the sounds of his wife screaming. Her body thrashed up and down and her skin was completely covered in a cold sweat. Alarm took over Ichigo as he sat up and grabbed his wife's shoulders, shaking her as firmly.

"Rukia! Rukia! Wake up! You're dreaming…you're just dreaming," he said loudly. Her head shook back and forth and then he saw her eyes slowly start to open. He saw confusion and fear in her dark midnight eyes. Her lips were dried and cracked and they trembled, her teeth chattering. Rukia's glazed eyes focused and she recognized her husband staring down at her.

"Oh god…" She cried as she broke into tears. She sobbed loudly as she clutched her husband's arm. "Oh god, Ichigo! My baby…" She placed on of her hands on her large belly, gently stroking the skin and soothing the baby inside of her. Ichigo pulled her completely into his arms as he kissed her wet forehead.

"It's okay. It's over now. It was just a dream," he reassured, but his words were useless. His wife's body was still shaking in his arms. Her dreams had become more frequent now, and it seemed every time she awakened more frightened and affected than before. Ichigo brushed her damp hair away from her face and then wiped away the tears streaming down her cheek. "We'll get this taken care of, okay?" He promised.

Ichigo laid there in the dark feeling completely helpless as his wife slowly fell back asleep in his arms. He would have to do something about this soon. He couldn't have her continue like this, tortured by nightmares. What kind of a husband would he be if he couldn't take care of this? How do you protect someone you love against nightmares, of all things?

Ichigo could not get back to sleep that night. He lay in bed and stared at the ceiling for hours. He had to go see someone about this, but he also had to be careful. There were people who already would not be happy about this baby and the news of these dreams would surely confirm their suspicions. There were people, evil people in the world who would want their baby for selfish and dangerous reasons. Had it not been that way for him? He grew up not knowing the true identity of his father. He was a product of a man who was once a shinigami and a human woman, and his child was going to be born to a similar fate. Ichigo's greatest fear, hidden deep inside himself, was that his child would grow up and experience what he had experienced: shinigami powers clashing against hollow powers. He didn't dare talk about this with Rukia, not when she was already overwhelmed being pregnant and with these dreams. But he knew he had to do something sooner than later. Who could he turn to? Who could he trust? Who could help? Ichigo spent the rest of the night burdened with anxious thoughts and questions.

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Next update should be coming pretty soon...it is not written yet but a long unhappy weekend with in-laws and other family awaits me so I should have more time to write. Next Chapter: What's going to happen between Ulquiorra and Orihime when they wake up? Uh oh...

Click that review button if you want to find out :)


	8. Chapter 8: The Morning

This chapter is a bit longer to make up for the fact that the previous chapter was so short.

ENJOY! And remember…every time you leave a review an angel gets its wings….ok that's stupid and lame of me to say, but you get the point.

* * *

**Chapter 8: The Morning**

Sunlight streamed through the hotel room window, casting a warm glow over Orihime. As she slowly woke up, she was aware of how warm she felt on one side of her body and how cool she felt on the other side. As she opened her dreary eyes, she noticed she was sleeping on the right side of the bed, and the left side of the bed was absent. It was her left side that felt abnormally cool. The brightness of the room quickly brought her to full consciousness, and as she yawned and sat up in bed she suddenly remembered where she was.

With wide eyes of shock, she stared about the room with suspicion as if an animal were about to jump out from nowhere. When she finally got over the disorientation of waking up in a foreign bed, she took a deep slow breath to steady herself. Pushing off her sheets, she stared longingly at the empty wrinkled spot next to her in the bed.

It hadn't been a dream after all. She closed her eyes trying to remember everything. It was odd: there were so many memories that were fuzzy, like what had happened between when they left the party and how they had gotten to the hotel room; but there were also memories that were burned into her memory and she knew these memories would never leave her. She remembered with intensity the pressure of his hands over her wet hot skin, the sweet kisses he'd planted all over her body, and the soft seductive words he had whispered in her ear. Her body tingled all over and she rubbed the insides of her sore upper thighs.

It would take quite a while for her to process the events of the previous night, and so she decided to put those memories away for the moment and get out of bed. The empty spot on the bed where he had slept kept calling for her attention; and she tried desperately to ignore it. When she did look at it finally it only made her feel depressed.

There was no noise coming from the bathroom and its door was wide open, showing a dark and empty room. There was no evidence of any of his belongings in the room, no clothes, shoes, jacket, or even a scarf. It was clear: he had left her…

At the foot of the bed, her clothes were folded neatly in a pile; and it was then that she noticed the little white piece of paper he had left on the pile of clothes. She stood up, immediately feeling awkward at her complete nakedness, but she chastised herself for being silly. There was absolutely no one around to see her in her naked state. It still unsettled her though, and she reached quickly for her dress, setting aside the note for the moment.

After she had managed to climb into her dress she sat down on the edge of the bed and picked up the note. In elegant and neat handwriting, the note said:

_I had to go to a meeting with the department this morning. I have chosen to take the position the University offered me. I hope you slept well. There is a driver at the concierge desk who can take you home._

_Ulquiorra_

Absolutely no indication of how he had felt about what happened last night, no indication of affection or regret, nothing personal. Anxiety burned in her chest at these realizations. Couldn't he have woken her up at least? Couldn't he have at least told her in person that he had to leave? She felt chilly and wrapped her arms around her bare shoulders. She felt empty and sad. How could it be possible that she actually _missed_ him already? She stood up and walked over to his side of the bed and sat down next to the pillow. Leaning over, she laid her head on the pillow and inhaled deeply his lingering scent. Why couldn't he have said good-bye at least? She ran her hand across the white linen sheets, smoothing out the wrinkles, and sighed loudly.

Gathering her things, she walked over to the mirror and vanity next to the bathroom door. _Ugh god, I look like crap_, Orihime thought miserably to herself. Her mascara had run, creating raccoon eyes, and she looked pale with dark circles underneath her eyes. Her bright auburn hair was a tangled mess. She couldn't go outside looking like this! It was broad daylight out.

She ran hot water from the faucet and picked up a washcloth. Using the hotel soap and wet washcloth, she tried her best to wash away her remaining makeup. The soap and water did a horrible job though. The makeup was quite stubborn, having been made to withstand tears, sweat, and rain. She reached into her purse and pulled out a compact that had a combination of powder and blush and quickly brushed the colors over her face, hoping to camouflage evidence of the night before. What should she do about her hair? She was frustrated to find that the bobby pins she had used to keep her hair up in an elegant bun were nowhere to be seen. She ran her fingers through the hot water and tried desperately to tame her red mane. She could have taken a shower, but she wanted to get out of the hotel room quickly; plus, she had always hated showering in places where she didn't have her own shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. After fumbling around in her purse, she managed to find two remaining bobby pins and clipped her bangs back away from her face.

After cleaning up, she pulled on her coat and scarf, slipped into her strappy shoes, grabbed her purse and left the hotel room. She couldn't stay there any longer without getting even more upset with the events of the previous night and Ulquiorra's early absence. She took the elevator down and was grateful to find that at 11:00 AM, there weren't too many people out. When she reached the lobby, she practically ran across the front of the hotel and out of the front doors. For some odd reason, unbeknownst to her, she didn't want to take the driver Ulquiorra had suggested. She wanted to grab the nearest cab and get home.

The sunshine outside was so blinding her eyes actually hurt. She crossed her arms around her chest protectively, surprised at how cold it was. She walked down the street, expecting to find a cab easily. Cabs usually circled hotels, knowing visitors often didn't have cars and needed transportation. She stood on a corner and waited for the light to turn green so the flood of traffic could bring her a cab. As she shivered waiting for a cab, she felt a tap on her shoulder and jumped, screaming out loud.

"Woah! Inoue, it's just me."

Orihime whirled around to find Ichigo standing behind her. He was wearing a brown worn-in leather jacket and jeans, and his cheeks were pink from the cold. He looked almost as surprised as she was, his hands were stuffed in his pockets and he had a canvas grocery bag hanging on the crook of his elbow.

"Kurosaki, you scared me…" She said in a much calmer voice. She was surprised that her voice came out hoarse and her throat hurt. Maybe _from all the screaming last night_…she thought blushing and unable to ignore the burn of lust at the memories of what Ulquiorra had done to elicit such cries from her mouth. Ichigo eyed her curiously, looking at her from head to toe.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you…you look dressed up for a Sunday," he commented.

"Well..." she said looking around, hoping he'd get the hint that she didn't want to talk about why she was dressed up and shabby looking on a Sunday morning. Even though he could be slow and oblivious sometimes, it didn't take Ichigo long to realize why she was so dressed up.

"Are you just going home, _now_?"

"I…yeah, I guess," she said in a small voice. She looked away from him, feeling a warm blush of embarrassment coming to her face. Ichigo stared at her with wide eyes of shock. Orihime rolled her eyes and sighed. "What's the big deal?"

"Inoue…you didn't…did you?" He asked hesitantly. When she didn't respond, Ichigo pursued. "Did you sleep with him?" He asked loud enough for strangers walking by to hear. Orihime felt a strange mix of embarrassment, annoyance, and oddly enough anger.

"I don't see how that's any of your business," she said through clenched teeth.

"Inoue…"

"Do you realize that you are being incredibly rude right now?" Orihime pointed out. Ichigo immediately felt shamed for intruding on her personal life. But he knew exactly what his wife's reaction would be if he told her about Inoue.

"I'm just concerned, Inoue. I…" Ichigo frowned, realizing that he was only being protective of his friend. He said firmly to her, "I don't think you should be pursuing a relationship with him, Inoue!"

"What?"

"Yeah, that's right…I said it…." Ichigo huffed, looking around frustrated and refusing to hold her gaze. When he finally started talking again, he tried to compose himself and keep a tone that would not be too imposing.

"Inoue…he's not like you and I." He started using a gentler tone. "He was a hollow and the soul that's inside his body is still that of a hollow. He never grew up like you and I did with a family and friends. He's been around on earth for a while, but he's never experienced a real and full human life. He doesn't know what it means to be human and so he could be dangerous…"

Orihime blinked, surprised at the insightful and calm reasons Ichigo was spouting. It was incredibly unlike him to be so verbose and thoughtful. His words didn't stop her from feeling increasingly irritated and offended though.

"Ulquiorra is a kind, polite, and interesting man who I enjoy spending time with. I am a grown adult woman who can make her own decisions," she said briskly, her body stiffening. "I have to get home. Please say hello for Rukia for me. Good-bye, Kurosaki."

She turned on her heel and walked across the street, grateful that there was a walk sign for her to escape. Ichigo stood in the bright winter morning staring at her as she walked away. He was stunned, worried, and annoyed- not with Inoue but with Ulquiorra. His fingers fisted in his pockets. _The things I would say to that man if I saw him_….Ichigo thought to himself. It seemed like the millionth time that week that Ichigo had been left feeling completely helpless and unable to stop someone he cared for from being hurt.

* * *

Rukia had Ichigo running errands for the rest of the morning and afternoon. By the time he was done at 2:00 PM he was exhausted and his mind weary from burdensome thoughts. He decided to swing by Chad's bar to hang out for a while and get some time to himself. Ever since Rukia had gotten pregnant, Ichigo's schedule had changed completely. Gone were poker nights with the guys, working late, weekend trips to the mountains, hours of video game playing and sports watching…it was obvious when he thought about it that he would lose most of his free time, but the actual extent was more than he could bear sometimes. He didn't dare complain though, not when his wife was clearly experiencing greater pain and schedule changes. Ichigo reasoned that she would not know that difference if he spent a half hour or hour hanging out at Chad's.

When he bounced through the bar doors, he saw Chad behind the bar wiping down glasses. There were only a few patrons drinking a beer and having a late lunch. The TVs throughout the bar were on sports channels, showing various different football, soccer, and basketball games. Low rock music played simultaneously in the background. Chad looked up and waved hello to his old friend.

"Yo," Chad said, putting away a glass mug and tucking the rag he had been using away underneath the bar.

"Hey Chad," Ichigo greeted as he sat down at the bar in front of his friend.

"What can I get for you?"

"Just my usual beer for now," Ichigo said with a sigh.

"Hitting it a little early on a Sunday, eh?" He said as he pulled out an iced mug and began to fill it up with frothy amber beer.

"Ugh, I need it, man."

"Rough day?" Chad asked as he passed the almost overflowing mug to Ichigo.

"Rough night, rough day," Ichigo muttered as he took a large gulp of the beer. "Uhhh, that tastes so good." Ichigo closed his eyes, leaning over on the bar with hunched shoulders.

"What's been happening?" Chad asked, leaning against the counter behind the bar.

"Rukia had me running all over town returning half of the presents Byakuya and my dad had gotten her. She had like eleven gift receipts but they weren't ordered correctly and every time I got to a store I realized I had brought the wrong receipt with whatever gift I was returning." Ichigo shook his head.

"That sounds frustrating," Chad said simply. "Taking care of a woman is not easy."

"You're telling me…" Ichigo said, his brown eyes looking distant and dark for a moment.

"Is there something else going on?" Chad asked in his usual low monotone voice, but Ichigo heard the subtle concern in his friend's voice.

"Rukia had another nightmare last night…" Ichigo said. He wasn't supposed to tell anyone about it, but one drunken night he spilled the news to his old friend. He didn't worry though, Ichigo knew that he could trust Chad to hell and back. The only people who really knew so far were Chad and Orihime.

Chad grunted with a frown. He could see the anxiety in Ichigo's face and he knew how much Ichigo struggled when someone he loved was unwell.

"What will you do?" He asked.

"I don't know what I can or should do!" Ichigo exclaimed, exasperated. "I'm starting to think this might be more serious than we originally thought. I'm starting to think…that maybe I should tell someone?"

"Who?" Chad asked.

"Who do you think I should tell?" Ichigo responded with raised eyebrows. "I'm willing to take any suggestions."

"Well my first thought would be Urahara."

"Yes, I know. I thought of him as well, but I don't know how much I can trust that old man. He always seems to know more than he lets on."

"He has good intentions," Chad pointed out. Ichigo shook his head.

"Chad, this is my child. I can't take any risks…"

"What about your father? He has been in a similar position as you."

Ichigo made a face. "Are you kidding me? My dad and I do not have that kind of relationship. I mean, I spent most of my life not knowing the truth about him and my mom."

"It is never too late to change the nature of a relationship," Chad said with a shrug. Ichigo eyed his friend for a moment. Chad always gave wise advice, perhaps that's why people loved coming to this bar and chatting with him. Chad's bar was a popular hangout spot after work hours and on game days. Everyone enjoyed talking with Chad, who always seemed to take a genuine interest in his patrons.

"My options seem limited, I know. The three people I thought of were Urahara, my dad, and Byakuya; honestly, I can't decide who is the lesser of the three evils."

Chad gave a half snort and half laugh at Ichigo's comment.

"You have done a lot already, making sure Inoue can be there," Chad pointed out.

"Yeah, I guess." Ichigo muttered, draining his mug of beer.

"Another?"

"No, I should probably get home before Rukia starts to worry," Ichigo said with a sigh. "I'll see you later, Chad. Oh yeah…we still on for Christmas?"

"Yes, maybe we can meet another time to discuss the details."

"Sounds good. See ya, bro." Ichigo waved to his friend as he left the bar.

* * *

By the time Orihime got back to her apartment, she was feeling incredibly down on herself. Her encounter with Ichigo and the absence of Ulquiorra that morning had created enough self doubt that she decided she wasn't going to leave her apartment for days. She wanted to hibernate in her warm, comfortable, and familiar apartment and forget the dark, cold, grey world outside. She didn't feel like taking a shower, eating any food, or even sleeping. For quite a long time, Orihime simply laid on her bed and stared at her ceiling. Eventually though, she mustered up the courage to at least take a shower and wash off the evidence of her night with Ulquiorra. The scalding hot water was just what she needed; it woke her up and helped her forget the day's events. The only thing that existed for her during her fifteen minute shower was the steaming water and the refreshing smell of her shampoos and soaps.

It was when she had just stepped out of the shower and was wrapping a fluffy yellow towel around her body that she heard her phone ring. Immediately her thoughts jumped to Ulquiorra and her heart soared with hope that he hadn't completely forgotten her after all. She leaped for her cell phone that was sitting on her bed and bounced up and down on her soft mattress. When she finally grabbed it, she hit the talk button so quickly she didn't even get to see who it was the caller.

"Hello?" Orihime said, slightly out of breath.

"Uh, hello?" Rukia replied.

"Oh, Rukia, it's just you…" Orihime said sighing with disappointment and laying down onto her back on her bed,

"Well don't sound so excited."

"Sorry, I thought you were someone else…I mean I was expecting another call," Orihime explained, forcing a laugh in order to disguise her real feelings. Rukia frowned on the other line of the phone, but thought it better not to directly ask about it until Orihime wanted to talk about it. Directly asking about it would be something only an incredibly rude person would do.

"Oh well, I'm sorry it's just me," Rukia joked.

"How's it going then? Is everything alright?" Orihime asked, sitting up in her bed and pulling her legs up to her chest. She picked at the peeling pale pink nail polish on her toes, thinking to herself that she would have to redo them soon.

"Uh…well, I was just calling to see if you were free tomorrow night?"

"I'm free every night right now," Orihime laughed dryly. "I still haven't heard about when I can return to work, so until then I'm kind of just stuck hanging around."

"Well that sounds like fun. You should have let me know, we could have gone shopping or something. I'm bored every day! I'm growing tired of the daytime soap operas and I'm dying to get out of the house." Rukia sighed. She felt incredibly lonely during the day when Ichigo was off at work. What did pregnant women do all day? Oddly enough, Renji had suggested Rukia sign up for some kind of pregnant-women yoga exercises. Normally Rukia would have never even consider it and would have giving Renji a good punch in the arm for even suggesting it, but now she was getting so bored she was actually considering it. _Maybe Orihime would go to yoga with me_…Rukia thought absentmindedly.

"That definitely sounds like fun! Maybe we can go to the new ice cream shop downtown? I heard they have over 35 different flavors!" Orihime's stomach grumbled as she begin to fantasize about the exotic ice cream flavors: coconut pistachio, peanut butter and cotton candy, watermelon chocolate, berry bananas and mint…

"That…wouldn't be a bad idea," Rukia said, secretly wondering if ice cream in the middle of winter would be the best idea. Honestly, it gave Rukia shivers just thinking about it. "There's supposed to be a good soup and salad place too…" She offered, hoping to lure Orihime away from cold food.

"Okay, we can go anywhere you want. You're the big mamma," Orihime said, twirling a damp strand of orange hair around her finger. "So tomorrow night? Do you need me to pick you up?"

"Uh, actually, that wasn't what I was calling about…"

"What were you calling about?" Orihime frowned. Did Ichigo get home and tell Rukia about seeing her out this morning? Orihime sighed and prepared to get defensive.

"I have an appointment with my OBGYN and I was wondering if you could go with me? Usually Ichigo would go, but he can't because he's doing Chad some kind of weird favor. I thought maybe you could give a second opinion and stuff."

"Oh…" Orihime paused for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Her mind had been far from medical practice lately and this was a strong reminder of the other part of her life that had been so important to her originally.

"It shouldn't be a big deal. You'll just be coming as my friend. And besides, you have an MD and you're board certified; you're still a doctor no matter what anyone says."

Orihime smiled at Rukia's proud speech. There had been many times in their lives when Rukia had given Orihime similar speeches, trying to boost Orihime's confidence and spirits. It was one of the qualities Rukia had that Orihime admired the most: strength of character.

"I'd be happy to come," Orihime said with a soft smile.

"Really? That's so great! Thank you, Orihime. The appointment is at 5 PM and I can meet you down at the University's medical clinic a little before then. Does that sound okay?"

"Are you sure you don't want me to come pick you up?" Orihime offered.

"Orihime, I'm pregnant, not disabled," Rukia said dryly. Orihime laughed at her friend's indignation.

"Okay then. I'll meet you there. No problem."

"It shouldn't be too long of an appointment," Rukia said thoughtfully.

"Yes, generally at this point it's waiting and being ready," Orihime said lightly. "So how about I call you tomorrow?"

"Yeah that would be fine. But…Orihime…"

"Yes?"

"There was one more thing I was supposed to tell you."

"What's that?" Orihime frowned.

"Tatsuki is staying in town until the end of the month. Apparently, she had let her assistant coach be in charge of their last game and they lost, so they're out of the finals."

"Oh no….that's terrible. How's she taking it? And why didn't she call and tell me?" Orihime chewed her lip, feeling guilty about what a terrible friend she had been lately to Tatsuki. As annoyed as Orihime felt every time she would get bitter at Tatsuki's poor attempts at maintaining their relationship, she knew deep down inside that their relationship was a two-way street Orihime also hadn't been holding up her end of the friendship as well.

"She's fine, actually. She said something about most of her players being juniors and that next year would be their year."

"Oh, well that's good…"

"Yeah…well that and she fired the assistant coach."

Orihime laughed. "Good for her," she said.

"Tatsuki said she tried to call you several times this morning but you didn't pick up? She left you a few messages…"

"Ugh!" Orihime tilted her head back and pulled at her bangs with frustration. "I saw those missed phone calls. I'm sorry, I've been a distracted mess this morning and I slept in much later than I should have. I'm going to call her right after this."

"I'm sure she'd appreciate it. She was a little worried that you might still be mad at us for….well you know, how things ended at the baby shower."

"No…no, not at all. I'm not even the slightest bit mad," Orihime said, her mind wandering over to the conversation she had had with Ichigo earlier that morning. It wouldn't do any good to stay mad at them. Orihime knew that they had the best of intentions. "I'll give her a call and talk to her about it."

"Good!" Rukia said with a smile. "Well, I'll let you go call her then."

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow, Rukia!"

"Bye, Orihime."

Orihime hung up the phone and texted Tatsuki: _Hey, what are you up to?_

She set her phone on the little nightstand next to her bed as she walked over to the closet. While she was grabbing a few clothes to wear, she heard a beep from her phone.

_Tatsuki: Just got home._

Orihime texted Tatsuki back: _Want to grab a late lunch?_

Orihime pulled on a pair of jeans and a silky camisole before hearing another beep.

_Tatsuki: Sure_

_Orihime:_ _Our usual place?_

A cable knit cardigan and brown argyle socks came on and then Orihime heard another beep.

_Tatsuki: YEP! Sounds good._

Orihime smiled brightly with excitement. It had been so long since she had spent one-on-one time with her best friend.

_Orihime: I can be there in fifteen?_

Tatsuki responded immediately: _I'll be there!_

Orihime grabbed a pair of black-heeled leather boots and pulled on a light purple scarf made of thin fibers weaved with thin metallic fibers, giving the scarf a sparkly appeal. It didn't take her much longer to throw her hair into a ponytail and grab her coat.

* * *

About ten minutes later, Orihime had pulled into a parallel parking spot right in front of Chad's bar. She noticed Tatsuki walking on the street away from where Orihime was parked toward the bar entrance. Her friend was wearing a black leather jacket with the hood of a sweatshirt sticking out from the back of her neck. Her usually short and spiky hair was longer than usual; its tips brushing the bottom of her jaw like a chic bob; but the hair still maintained its textured layers, creating an edgier punk look.

Orihime had always thought that Tatsuki always dressed "cooler" than her and had a much more unique style. She knew that her envy wasn't quite justified though, since the two girls had such different body types. Tatsuki could wear almost anything in a store or even clothes right off the runway with her body type. Orihime, on the other hand, often adhered to a more classic style that accentuated her curves without making her look vulgar. She needed clean lines, natural proportions, and solid colors. It had often been to Orihime's dismay that she wasn't able to pull off trendy looks when she was in high school and college (can anyone say skinny jeans?), but Orihime managed to at least look decent and well-put together.

She hopped out of her car, hoping to catch Tatsuki before she went in, but missed her by just a few seconds. When Orihime stepped into the bar, she was standing right behind her friend.

"Boo!" Orihime said loudly, making her friend scream and jump. Tatsuki turned around and sighed loudly when she saw it was just Orihime.

"You scared me!" Tatsuki said, shaking her head.

"Sorry, someone else earlier today scared me by coming up behind me and I felt like I had to do the same in order to continue the cosmic balance of karma," Orihime said laughing as she took off her scarf. Tatsuki gave her friend a confused look.

"I'm not sure if what you just said made any sense…but I'll just take your word for me. Let's get a table," Tatsuki suggested. Both of the girls waved hi enthusiastically to Chad who was behind the bar serving several patrons; it was getting to be almost late afternoon and the main football games were airing on the TVs. The games drew a lot more customers who gathered to cheer for their favorite teams. Chad gave the girls a wave and nod of acknowledgement as a greeting.

"It's probably best we leave Chad alone for a while, until things get less busy. We can go over and say hi and hang out with him later," Tatsuki suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea," Orihime said. The two girls moved over to a round tall table where they sat down on worn-in red leather bar stools with long curved chrome legs. The bar stools looked like they had been taken out of a 1950's diner and didn't particularly fit with the dark down-to-earth look of the rest of the bar. A few waitresses in black t-shirts, jeans and white aprons sprang around the bar carrying large plates of chicken wings, chili fries, greasy burgers, and pitchers of beer. Loud rock music insisted on competing with the loud speakers of the TVs and the loud, chatty, and rambunctious crowd.

"Ugh! I'm starving…" Tatsuki said as she put her coat over the red leather stool and sat on it, in order to keep it from falling on to the floor.

"You're telling me," Orihime replied doing the same thing. Both of the girls picked up plastic menus that were stuffed between the mustard and ketchup containers and a silver chrome napkin holder. As the girls scrutinized the menu, a young brunette waitress dodged her way through the crowd and pulled out her notepad and pen.

"Hi, ladies! What can I get you today?" She greeted cheerfully. The young woman sported a name tag that said "Jenny" and a bright smile showing off her nearly perfect white teeth. Her hair was pulled up tight and high into a ponytail and had several notepad papers, straws, and pencils tucked in the front pockets of her dirty white apron.

Tatsuki began listing off food within a blink of an eye. "I'll have the double bacon burger with cheese, hold the onions with the cheddar fries. And an order of the buffalo hot wings, chicken quesadillas, and the nachos and cheese appetizer. And uhm….for a drink…I guess I'll just have whatever's the special on tap."

The waitress scribbled Tatsuki's order furiously fast, nodding enthusiastically before looking over eagerly at Orihime. "And what can I get you?"

"Uhm….is it possible to get the broccoli and cheese soup put over the Caesar salad?"

"Ahhh…I guess it is; I don't see why not," Jenny said with a raised eyebrow.

"And then I'll get the fish and chips but with a side of hot buffalo sauce and horseradish."

"A-alright," Jenny said, glancing up from her note pad skeptically at Orihime. "Anything to drink?"

"Can I get a soda…fifty percent Sprite, 25 percent cranberry juice, and 25 percent carrot juice?"

Both the waitress and Tatsuki looked at Orihime silently enough for her to widen her eyes and say, "My stomach isn't feeling too good. And Sprite, cranberry, and carrot juice always takes care of my hangovers."

Tatsuki frowned at the mention of Orihime being hungover from the night before…_What has that crazy girl been up to?_

The waitress laughed knowingly, "I get it; my friends and I always have our special avocado, egg white, and beet smoothies after rough nights and those work like a charm. I'll get this back to the kitchen and bring your drinks right out."

The waitress turned to leave and took a few steps, but paused and turned back around to the girls. Her smile went away, and a shy hesitant look took over her face. "You…you guys are friends with Chad, the owner, right?"

"Yeah, we've known him since high school and went to college together. Why?" Tatsuki said, raising both her eyebrows.

"Oh…oh, this is going to sound so stupid but…do you know if he has a girlfriend?" Jenny asked, her face suddenly turning very pink. Orihime laughed and was about to say something reassuring but Tatsuki beat her to the point.

"Chad doesn't date his employees," Tatsuki said plainly. "And he certainly doesn't date someone underage…"

"I'm 21," Jenny said with a defensive frown in a dejected tone.

"What my friend Tatsuki means is that…Chad has a lot of respect for all his employees and wouldn't want to jeopardize the professional relationships. But, to answer your question directly: No, Chad does not have a steady girlfriend right now," Orihime said, shooting Tatsuki a reprimanding look. The young waitress almost leaped up out of her shoes and flashed her 1000x watt smile again.

"Thank you! And like I said, I'll be right back with your drinks." Jenny turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

"That was rude, Tatsuki. She was a perfectly nice girl."

"Orihime, she's practically jailbait. She's probably lying about her age, anyhow." Tatsuki dismissed.

"Well she's got to be 21 in order to serve alcohol at least," Orihime said dryly.

"She's so not Chad's type," Tatsuki said rolling her eyes. Orihime frowned at Tatsuki's negative attitude.

"Since when did you know so much about 'his type' of girl?" Orihime asked slowly. "In fact, when did you become an expert on _everyone's_ love life?"

"Orihime−" Tatsuki started to refute, but the waitress had already returned, bouncing merrily and putting two tall curved glasses on the table.

"Thank you," Orihime said politely to the girl with a warm smile. Tatsuki settled for rolling her eyes. Undisturbed by Tatsuki's cold shoulder, the waitress cheered, "You're welcomed!" and disappeared again.

"Orihime, first of all: I have never claimed to be an expert on anything. You and I both know that Chad doesn't like brunettes."

"That's not true, Chad doesn't often date brunettes; but that does not mean that he wouldn't consider dating a brunette," Orihime pointed out as she took a slow long sip of her drink. Tatsuki rolled her eyes again.

"She's too young. She's practically Yuzu and Karin's age. Wouldn't that be weird if Chad were to date one of Ichigo's sisters?"

Orihime sipped her drink thoughtfully for a moment, trying to picture Chad holding hands with Karin. "Mmmm…I guess that would be an odd sight. But never completely out of the question. The heart wants what it wants…"

"What does that even mean? –The heart wants what it wants…the heart is incapable of thinking logically." Tatsuki took a swig of her beer, its bitterness matching her own mood.

"I think the heart knows more about us and our own needs than even our logical or conscious minds," Orihime said mildly, refusing to give into Tatsuki's more negative mood.

"I don't think so." Tatsuki stated firmly.

"What about other types of love? People do crazy things all the times for the people they love; it doesn't always have to be romantic."

Tatsuki continued to give Orihime a skeptical look. Orihime sighed, setting down her drink and trying to figure out a way to explain her position. "Take Ichigo, he's always done ridiculously scary things in order to protect his family and friends. Sometimes he does things that other people might consider really stupid, but to him it's worth it. He doesn't make those decisions based on reason or logic; if he did, he might rethink his decisions because he would know that his actions would result in certain death."

"…I guess…sort of…" Tatsuki said, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "I guess you have a point…" She looked back down at her friend, who was merely offering a warm smile and patient attention. "I'm sorry, Orihime. I've been in a terrible mood lately. My team lost…"

"I know…Rukia told me. I'm so very sorry…But I know you will get them next year! You're team is only going to grow stronger and more mature between now and next season!" Orihime pointed out, her face stern with determinations. Tatsuki gave a short dry laugh.

"I suppose…" She continued drinking her beer. "We did have a great season; and according to my assistant coach, the refs were incredibly biased and made some very terrible calls. We really need to bring instant replay and review to women's soccer!"

Orihime wrinkled her nose, "Do they even do that in men's soccer?"

The girls were interrupted with the return of Jenny, who holstered a large brown plate with food. She set down the orders in front of the girls, exhaling loudly with relief from carrying the heavy load of food. "Here you go, ladies. I'll come back and check on y'all and see how you're doing. Just waive me down if you need a refill on your drinks okay? The special on tap is bottomless tonight."

"Thank you," Tatsuki said to Jenny, feeling guilty and giving the girl a smile.

"No problem!" The waitress chirped as she bounced away. The ladies wasted no time as they ravenously started to eat their food. The food wasn't distraction enough for Tatsuki though as she eyed her best friend and chewed on chicken wing.

"So…how was last night?" Tatsuki asked slowly. "Apparently you managed to get drunk enough to have a hangover today." She kept her tone light in order to make sure Orihime would be responsive.

Orihime looked up at Tatsuki's dark brown eyes. She seemed calm and receptive. Orihime had thought hard on her way to the bar about how to approach this topic with Tatsuki. In the end she had decided that honesty would be the best route, and that Orihime would just have to make her case as calmly and rationally as possible and hope for the best.

"It was…one of _the most_ wonderful nights I've had in months," Orihime confessed.

"Well that's great! I'm happy for you," Tatsuki said, forcing a bit of enthusiasm. She didn't want to isolate her friend anyone than she had already. She too had vowed on her way to the bar to try to keep an open mind. As she watched her friend devour her food though, she caught a familiar glint of unhappiness in Orihime's eyes. She knew her friend well enough to know when something was bothering her. "Is there something else you're not telling me?"

Orihime looked up at Tatsuki hesitantly, with big worried eyes.

"I promise: no judgment. I'll just listen and answer questions if you want me to."

Deciding to take a leap of faith that Tatsuki would hold up her promise of no judgment, Orihime said, "Well…don't get upset but…I ended up sleeping with Ulquiorra…"

Tatsuki gasped/screamed so loudly that nearby patrons shot them curious glances. Tatsuki pulled out as much self restraint as possible as she tried to control her reactions. "Well…how was it?"

"It was…" Orihime continued to watch Tatsuki for signs of rejection. "Honestly….it was the hottest sex I've ever had." Both girls looked at each other for a moment before bursting out in loud giddy giggles.

"Holy fuck! Way to go, Orihime! I would have never thought the guy would have it in him…" Tatsuki said laughing. "I guess I don't really know what he would have in him…or whatever…but from what I've heard, he's supposed to be pretty intense, right?"

"Yeah…I guess," Orihime said thoughtfully. "He's very complex and so it is really hard to read him sometimes. But he is incredibly hot and intense in bed." Orihime closed her eyes with a smug smile at the memories.

"I'm not going to lie: I kind of want details," Tatsuki said, eliciting another giggle from her friend. "What? It's been a really long time since I've gotten any."

"Really?"

"Yeah! I'm on the road _all the time_ with like 40 women and staff members! Where am I going to find the time to meet a guy?" Tatsuki said, sticking a fry in her mouth. Orihime's smile of amusement slowly faded away as she stared down into what remained of her drink. She swirled the drink around in the glass and Tatsuki knew immediately that there was more to the story. Orihime always played with her drinks when she was nervous or upset about something.

"What's wrong? Did he hurt you or something too?"

"What? No! Not at all! He was perfect: gentle but rough enough to be exciting," Orihime explain.

"Well that sounds good! What's with the hesitation though?" Tatsuki asked with concerned. Orihime took a deep breath and exhaled loudly before she gathered the courage to tell her friend the next detail.

"Well…I woke up this morning and he was gone…" Orihime said, unaware of the immediate effect that statement had on her face. Tatsuki saw the hurt immediately in the way Orihime looked down and picked at her food, how she slouched in her seat, and hunched her shoulders. Quickly, Tatsuki tried to compute the best response: sudden outrage at Ulquiorra, calling him an asshole for leaving her the morning after…or sympathy, consolation, and providing possible explanations for his behavior with the intent to raise her hopes. She finally decided to go with the second choice in order to make up for her behavior at the end of the baby shower.

"Did he leave a note or anything?" Tatsuki offered gently.

"Yeah…" Orihime muttered with a pout.

"Well what did it say?"

Orihime rolled her eyes, reciting the note word for word (of course she had memorized the note and had taken it home): "He said '_I had to go to a meeting with the department this morning. I have chosen to take the position the University offered me. I hope you slept well. There is a driver at the concierge desk who can take you home.'_ And then he signed his name."

"He left you a note! That's good! If he didn't care about you at all, he would have just left without leaving anything."

"Really?" Orihime said skeptically. "I've never been left the morning after…"

"That's because you're always careful about not dating complete assholes," Tatsuki pointed out.

"I can hear that you're implying that he's a complete asshole then," Orihime said dryly. Tatsuki ignored the commented and continued in her consoling.

"First of all, he told you why he had to go, which means he had a legitimate reason to leave. Secondly, he inquired about how well you slept, which means he cares about you and hopes you slept okay. And third, he wanted to make sure you got home safely."

"I mean, the inquiring about how I slept and helping me get home was just politeness, and if Ulquiorra is anything, he's polite. But, how do I know if he was just lying about having to go to a meeting?" Orihime said, the corners of her lips downturned in a pout.

"That's simple. Just call up the University and find out if he really did take the position they offered him," Tatsuki said shrugging her shoulders in return as she grabbed her burger and prepared to take a big bite.

"You think I should do that? I actually thought about it too…but I thought it might be kind of stalkerish…"

"Orihime…" Tatsuki said with a mouth full of food, "You guys had sex; I think that gives you some privileges in terms of finding some stuff out about his life. It's not like you two are complete strangers."

"Hmmm," Orihime frowned deep in thought. Tatsuki wiped some dripping mustard from the corner of her mouth, swallowed her food, and took a great big gulp of her beer. Orihime glanced at her friend skeptically and raised an eyebrow.

"How do you eat like that and not gain a single pound?"

"High metabolism," she said simply, and continued the main topic of their conversation without missing a beat. "You should confront him. Find out the truth early on, that way you won't get hurt later. There's nothing I hate more than getting led on into thinking I'm going somewhere with a guy, only to get dumped five months later."

"Confront him?" Orihime squeaked in small voice.

"Come on, Orihime! Where's your courage?" Tatsuki's voice boomed.

"But that's what I'm afraid of…finding out that he doesn't care and getting my feelings hurt," Orihime said sadly. Tatsuki paused in the middle of taking another large bite of her burger. She put down her food, and reached over and placed her hand on Orihime's hand.

"If he does that then he's officially an asshole and you'll have saved yourself from even more pain later on."

Orihime didn't look convinced and stared forlornly at Tatsuki's hand over hers.

"If he hurts you, you know that I will always be here for you. I'll be waiting with tissues and ice cream on your doorstep," Tatsuki said gently, giving Orihime's hand a small squeeze. Orihime smiled at her friend; she felt better now that her friend was supporting her.

"Thanks, Tatsuki. That really means a lot to me," Orihime said quietly. "What changed your mind? Last time, you were completely against me even going on a date with him."

"Well…I felt incredibly bad when you left, you know that? I felt like the world's most horrible friend; and I thought about it later and realized I was being a jerk. You can make your own decision, and my job as a friend is to support you no matter what. I mean, I'm not gonna lie: between Ulquiorra and Ishida, I would choose Ishida for you. But it's your life," Tatsuki explained with a shrug. "Besides, the truth is…I don't even know the guy….I've only heard things about him from you and everyone else. And he has been living as a human in this world for quite some time. If he's able to blend into society, make a living, and keep quiet without disturbing Soul Society, then how bad can he be?"

"Exactly!" Orihime cheered. "I'm glad you see it my way."

Tatsuki cringed; it wasn't that she saw things exactly Orihime did…she still thought that this relationship between her and Ulquiorra was a train wreck waiting to happen, but there was nothing going on right now to cry wolf over, ignoring the abandonment last morning. Tatsuki took a soppy fry and dipped it completely in ketchup before putting it in her mouth.

"Yo!" A masculine voice cried out at the ladies. When they looked up, they saw a man with long red dreds held with a blue hair band and several tattoos all over his body. He wore a pair of Converse tennis shoes, a faded worn-in jean jacket, and a blue t-shirt underneath it. It never ceased to amaze Orihime how men could go through winter cold without a real winter coat.

"Hey Renji," Tatsuki said as the man approached.

"Inoue, Arisawa," Renji stated their names as his salutation. "I came to have a beer and hang out with Chad, but he's super busy so he sent me your way instead."

"Well gee, thanks, I guess that makes us your second choice," Tatsuki said sarcastically. Renji leaned against the table and grabbed one of Tatsuki's fries, shoving it in his mouth, unperturbed by Tatsuki's lack of a warm welcome.

"You, second choice? Never!" Renji said mockingly. "We could resume our game of pool," Renji offered. Tatsuki rolled her eyes, uninterested in his offer.

"Actually, I have to get going…" Orihime said hopping off of her chair and grabbing her purse. She pulled out a few bills and left them on the table. "Why don't you take my seat, Renji? You can have my leftovers."

Renji looked down at Orihime's meal and made a face. "Uh…no, thank you. I'm quite alright as far as food goes."

"I've got to get going too," Tatsuki said hopping off her seat.

"Why? Where else do you have to be?" Renji seemed to be asking only Tatsuki this question, despite the fact that both girls had announced they needed to be somewhere else.

"That's none of your business," Tatsuki clipped.

"Awww…come on, Arisawa! Are you scared I'll beat you?" Renji teased.

"You should stay, Tatsuki!" Orihime said, giggling. It had become clear to Orihime some time ago that Renji had a crush on Tatsuki, although it was nowhere near Tatsuki's radar.

"Tell you what, I'll buy you a drink and you pay for the first game," Renji bartered. Tatsuki folded her jacket in her arms and sighed. She really did have nowhere to be tonight. If Orihime had plans, then she was planning on just heading home and watching some footage of her team playing or whatever mindless show on TV that happened to look somewhat interesting.

It was fun to hang out with Renji…Ever since Ichigo had gotten hitched, the two old friends hadn't been able to hang out as much as they used to. It was an unfortunate side effect of married adulthood that Tatsuki begrudgingly accepted in her friends' lives, but steered clear of in her own life. Renji, though, was single, readily available whenever Tatsuki had some energy to burn and wanted to either play basketball or tennis, and treated her as one of the boys, just like Ichigo had. It was nice to have girl time with Orihime, but Tatsuki never got very far discussing sports statistics or getting Orihime to put on tennis shoes and go to the gym with her. Tatsuki even had to admit sometimes that Renji could be pretty funny with his lame jokes. He definitely was more laid back than Ichigo ever was, and so Tatsuki wasn't the one to usually try to convince him to do something. In fact, it was the other way around; it was always Renji who wanted to hang out.

"Oh, alright…but you're buying me two drinks," Tatsuki warned.

Renji just grinned and shrugged. "Whatever gets you drunk, Arisawa."

"Haha, well have fun guys. I'll see you all later this week sometime!" Orihime said, waving good-bye to them as she moved toward the exit. Neither of them heard her though since they had already started arguing about who had been winning the last time they had played.

* * *

After dialing 411, Orihime found the University's phone number but only got answering machines. It should have been expected since it was a Sunday, but Orihime reasoned that if Ulquiorra had a meeting that morning, then there had to be people around. She headed toward the University's main campus, and after parking her car, she wandered around lost for a while before she found the building that housed the Philosophy Department. She stepped inside and was grateful to find a little map of the building, along with a directory of offices listed underneath the floor plan. She didn't see Ulquiorra's name on the directory list, but this was also to be expected. If the man was just hired today, she doubted that he had anything in this building that belonged to him. Instead, Orihime settled for heading toward the Philosophy Department's main office, where she hoped a lingering student, professor, or staff member might be able to confirm where Ulquiorra was.

The entire floor was dead quiet and most of the lights were turned off, except for a few small lights over plants or drinking water fountains. A few signs glowed here and there, indicating a bathroom for males or females. While it could have appeared creepy and desolate, Orihime had grown accustomed to this kind of environment, having been an intern and resident who had worked many night shifts. As she walked down the hall, each of the motion-censored ceiling lights turned on, one by one.

At the end of the dark hallway, a door was wide open and yellow light streamed out. Orihime headed toward the sign of life and found a moderate sized office room with several books on bookselves, file cabinets, office plants, large printers, and two large desks- each with their own little computer. Behind one very old and scratched up wooden table, sat a young raven-haired girl with thick-framed glasses who typed away at a computer.

"Excuse me, Miss…" Orihime said softly knocking on the outside of the opened door. The girl looked up from her computer when she heard Orihime's voice.

"I was wondering if you heard anything about Ulquiorr…er, I mean, Professor Schiffer coming to work here?"

"Oh yes!" The girl replied, delighted. "They actually just told me this morning! I was so excited about it." Orihime felt her lungs fill with fresh air for the first time that day. This was promising news! Ulquiorra wasn't lying after all!

"It hasn't been officially announced yet though, so no one is supposed to know…" The girl said, suddenly turning deathly serious. "I'm sorry, actually I wasn't even supposed to tell you that! I was just so excited when they told me this morning."

"Oh, don't worry. I sort of already knew, but I just didn't have confirmation."

"Do you know him?"

"Professor Schiffer? Yes, I do…" Orihime said, looking away from the young girl.

"Well…if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone that I told you they hired him already?" Orihime suppressed the urge to roll her eyes, who in the world would Orihime tell that would actually matter?

"Sure."

"He's actually here right now…" The girl whispered, probably unnecessarily. This piece of news caught Orihime's mind immediately.

"Really?"

"Yeah, he's in his office, settling in with some of his stuff."

"Could you tell me where his office his?" The girl looked hesitant at Orihime's request, she quickly tried to placate the young student's worries. "He and I know each other quite well already."

"Oh, well in that case, he's just down through that door," The girl pointed to a inner doorway that led to more offices.

"Great! Thanks so much!"

When Orihime finally found Ulquiorra's office door she was oddly surprised at how homey it seemed despite the limited amount of time Ulquiorra had been in residence. A big brass sign on the door said "Ulquiorra Schiffer, PhD" along with a whole other series of letters and acronyms related to his credentials. There were a couple of make-shift "Welcome Professor Schiffer!" stuck with scotch tape onto the door, written with what looked like different colored highlighter pens. On the door knob hung several green Mardi Gras beads. _Did they have some kind of party or something?_ Orihime frowned as she looked back to the desk the grad student had been sitting at. _They must really be excited to have him be a professor here_, Orihime thought.

Ulquiorra's door was open a crack and light streamed out from the small beam. Orihime hesitated for only a moment before raising her hand and knocking.

"Come in," A voice responded. Orihime chewed the bottom of her lip nervously. He didn't sound too friendly. Her suspicions were confirmed when she opened the door and found Ulquiorra sitting behind his desk with piles of books and papers all around him. He didn't look like he had been in a good mood, but when he saw his visitor was Orihime, Ulquiorra's voice turned into a void of emotion. Orihime couldn't tell if he was happy or upset to see her.

"Hi…your grad assistant said you were in so I thought I'd just come by and…" She trailed off, standing nervously in front of the opened door.

"Close the door behind you," he said, pushing back on his office chair and getting up. While Orihime slowly closed the door so as to make as little noise as possible, Ulquiorra walked around his massive desk and stood before Orihime.

"Wow, you've settled in quite quickly!" Orihime observed as she looked around the well-organized office. Several file cabinets stood against a wall while the opposing bookshelf wall was filled with books from the ceiling of the room to the floor. A plant sat in the corner uselessly and light from the setting sun streamed through the blinds of the large window behind Ulquiorra's desk.

"The students and department prepared the office for me."

"Really? That's incredible; having grad students must be like having little work elves running around for you!" Orihime joked, laughing nervously. Ulquiorra did not seem to appreciate her joke. His face remained emotionless; and despite his intense green stare, he maintained his general aura of indifference.

"What can I do for you today, Dr. Inoue?" He said calmly and quietly. His green gaze did not move from Orihime's face. Orihime blinked several times, taking in his curt response. _Maybe this was a bad idea after all._

"Well, we didn't get to say good-bye this morning…and…"

"And?" Ulquiorra prompted when a long silence had passed without Orihime finishing her sentence. Ulquiorra crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against his desk. He half-sat on the ledge of his desk as he regarded her.

"And…I dunno, I feel awkward about what happened. I thought maybe we should at least talk about it." She fumbled with the strap of her purse nervously. Ulquiorra watched the extremely anxiety ridden Orihime squirm, feeling slightly amused in the back of his mind.

"I apologize if you thought my note was not a sufficient enough of a good-bye," he said carefully. Orihime squinted at him, partly because the blinding light behind him turned him into a dark shadow but also because she didn't know how to read what he had just said. It sounded like he was patronizing her…

"No…well…yes. I would have appreciated a chance to at least say good bye to you in person. I mean, don't you feel weird not saying anything face to face after what happened between us?"

Ulquiorra studied Orihime thoughtfully for a quiet moment before stating an observation. "I have noticed… in the limited amount of time I have spent with you, that you are incredibly focused on 'feeling weird' and 'feeling awkward' about situations, Dr. Inoue. Perhaps you should see a medical professional who specializes in the psychological well-being of humans so you can explore why you often feel this way in social situations."

Orihime stared at Ulquiorra with a deadpan look. _Was I just insulted?_ Orihime thought in confusion, shaking her head.

"We…we…spent the night together and you have no thoughts on it? Do you feel _anything_ towards me?" Her voice had slightly cracked and she could feel her mouth becoming dry and her throat becoming itchy. Orihime tried her best to keep her face as plain and emotionless as Ulquiorra's face at the moment. But a quiet panic was growing inside her, and she was finding it increasingly difficult to keep her emotions in check.

"Feelings?"

"Yes!"

Ulquiorra took some time to ponder this before replying.

"I do not know how I feel about you at the moment," he said simply.

Orihime stared at him in shock.

Orihime felt everything inside of her crumble; she had built a tower of hope with the little amount of time and emotions they had shared and she thought they had shared….something special. And now, he managed to crush it with just one sentence. A painful tight feeling came to her chest, and she could feel her cheeks turning bright red with embarrassment.

"You didn't think what we shared was…" Orihime's voice came out small and high-pitched with an impending hysteria. His intense green eyes regarded her speculatively, his arms still crossed and he still leaned against his desk casually.

"What we shared was physical," he said, confused and trying to complete her broken sentence.

"…_Just_ physical?"

"You said you had not been with a man in quite a while…and I was only trying to fulfill your needs…Were you unsatisfied?" He asked calmly, masking his anxiety and concern. Orihime was beyond noticing the slight nuances of his reactions at this point. Rage had made its way into her body. She could not believe how casually he was treating all this! As if what they had shared was merely some kind of transaction; as if she didn't matter at all to him.

Swallowing hard, she stood there silently, slowly processing his words. Orihime could feel the incoming storm of tears. She needed to leave. Memories of their night together flashed ruthlessly in her mind, mocking her. Behind her shattered heart was a great veil of pain and anger.

She didn't need something _just physical, _dammit! She needed someone to be there for her, to really listen to her, to hold her and accept her for who she was and not who they wanted her to be. She had hoped that Ulquiorra would be different. She had hope that maybe they could start something new- something different from what she had with Ishida…she wanted to be a different person with him. Now, Orihime saw that Ulquiorra was definitely different from her friends, but different in a completely opposite and wrong way. He didn't give a damn about her.

"I'm sorry I came and bothered you. I'll leave you so you can get back to your work," she managed to squeak out before turning around so he couldn't see her tears forming.

She hastily brushed away the tear that was coming down her cheek as she opened the door and bolted from the office. The storm of tears had started already though, and as she passed the grad student's desk the girl looked up curiously at the crying woman Ulquiorra had just sent running down the hall.

Ulquiorra stood helplessly in his office overwhelmed with two emotions: confusion and surprise. Firstly, he did not know why she had gotten upset so quickly; and secondly, he could not believe how quickly the events had taken place with so few words exchanged between them.

"Professor Schiffer…is everything alright?" Rei meekly asked. She had poked her head inside the professor's door when she saw that it had been left wide open. She noticed her professor's deep frown.

Ulquiorra shot Rei the most menacing glare she had ever seen in her life and barked in a low and harsh voice. "Get out. And close the door behind you." Rei nearly jumped in her shoes with terror at the command. She closed the door immediately and walked quickly away.

Ulquiorra let out a loud and frustrated breath as he spun around and stalked over to the large windows behind his desk. Setting his hands on the window's ledge and looking outside, his whole body slumped over dejectedly. He stood hunched over, resting his forehead on the glass as he stared outside. His breath fogged the cold glass window, but he could still see the red, orange, and pink sunset. The clear and cold winter air made the sunset even more clear and beautiful. Ulquiorra barely took notice of anything though. He stared at the shadowed cement ground. Maybe he would see her exiting the building? A frown remained on his face as he watched the sidewalk underneath his building remain empty except for a few hopping birds.

He was so confused about what had just happened. What he had said was true; he really did not know how he felt about her. Whenever he thought about Dr. Orihime Inoue, a million feelings bombarded his brain. He absolutely couldn't separate his feelings out into pure concrete thoughts; the kind of thoughts that he could analyze, critique and eventually make a decision based on. He closed his eyes as memories of their night together flashed through his mind; just thinking about her white luscious curves, her soft moaning and pleads, the way her body moved under his touch made him hard.

He took a deep breath, exhaling loudly as he willed away his lust for her so he could think rationally. The way he felt about her physically was the one thing he was sure of, and he had tried to convey this to her. Perhaps she did not feel the same? He thought her response to him last night meant she found him pleasing, if not adequate. Perhaps she was unsure of how she felt about him physically? The thought made Ulquiorra feel despondent for some reason.

Seeing that nothing was happening outside, he turned around and flopped down into his chair. This whole encounter had been unsettling for him. How could one woman make him, Ulquiorra Schiffer, feel so uncertain about everything?

* * *

**A/N**: Tada! Hoped you liked this extra long chapter. I know some of it's kind of fluffy fillers, but I promise there will be plenty more Ulquihime.

There will definitely be the development of two new relationships during the course of this story.

And I've got a lot of surprises up my sleeves and I am dying to share them with you! Hope you hold on for the ride!

I love reading your reviews; they mean a lot to me and when you make suggestions or ask questions I definitely try to respond. See ya at the next chapter!


	9. Chapter 9: The Tree

**Chapter 9: The Tree**

The page came early Monday morning when Orihime was still deep in a dreamless sleep. At first she only heard the buzzing of the vibrating pager on her bedside table. Then she heard the piercing loud "Beep beep beep! Beep beep beep!" Although it had only been a few days without work, the beeping sounded foreign to her groggy mind. Blindly she reached over and fumbled for the pager until she found it and her thumb hit the silence button. Cracking an eye open she looked at the number on the pager and seeing who had paged her, she instantly moaned and threw the pager across the room. It safely bounced across the window curtain and landed softly on a pile of dirty clothes on the floor.

An hour and a half later, she was sulking in her seat around a large conference table with a bunch of men in suits and white coats. Orihime knew she was acting incredibly unprofessional and immature, but her strength of spirit had left her yesterday in Ulquiorra's office and she just didn't have the effort in her to feign respect. Dr. Whitmore was shuffling papers and trying to sound important; Dr. Charles was flipping his pen around his fingers like it was a drummer's stick and his knee was all jittery, bouncing up and down restlessly. Dr. Yoshikawa was pretending to read the documents in front of him, but his eyes were fixed on his Blackberry that lying next to the papers. Dr. Merry dully stirred his steaming coffee in its Styrofoam cup, secretly wishing he had had time to stop at Starbucks and get the good stuff instead of the hospital's crap.

"Ok, Dr. Inoue. We've reviewed your case and the Board has agreed to allow you to return to work with a probationary period of six weeks. If during that time you make satisfactory progress and do not encounter any more problems, you can officially resume your residency here at St. Luke's." Dr. Whitmore continued shuffling papers in an attempt to look busy and important. With his eyes lowered, he didn't notice Orihime rolling her eyes, Dr. Charles staring up at the ceiling with exasperation, or Dr. Yoshikawa glancing at his watch.

"Six weeks is an awfully long time, don't you think Dr. Whitmore?" Dr. Merry muttered as he sipped his mud-tasting coffee with disdain. Bad coffee always put him in a bad mood, and his perpetual irritation with Dr. Whitmore's ego only exacerbated his foul mood.

"I think six weeks is appropriate considering we've been unable to gather any information about what exact procedure Dr. Inoue performed that seemed to bring a dead girl back to life," Dr. Whitmore countered tilting his head at the opposition.

"Oh Wendell! You know she's a good doctor, why are you putting her through all this?" Dr. Charles sighed, throwing his pen down on the mahogany table. Everybody could practically see the steam coming out of Dr. Whitmore's ears at the sound of Dr. Charles calling him by his first name. He had hated his first name ever since the boys on the playground in grade school had decided that Wendell Whitmore was a name for wimps. Dr. Charles couldn't help the slip of the name though; in his eyes Dr. Whitmore was a little boy who had managed to get a hold of an administrative job in exchange for being a poor doctor, and nothing peeved Dr. Charles more than when he saw Dr. Whitmore try to put down other perfectly respectable and talented doctors.

"Gentlemen, could we hurry this up please? I've got a colonoscopy in fifteen minutes," Dr. Yoshikawa said irritably, completely forgetting that there was a female in the room even though the meeting was about her.

"This meeting is adjourned. Six weeks probationary period!" Dr. Whitmore said firmly.

"Now wait a minute, this meeting is not over yet…" Dr. Charles raised his voice as he sat up in his chair, glaring at the balding young man in front of him.

"If I could say something…?" Orihime squeaked in a small voice. The four men all turned their heads to her in surprise, as if they had forgotten she was even in the room.

"You may, Dr. Inoue," Dr. Whitmore said, clearing his throat and trying to regain control of the meeting by lowering his voice an octave in an attempt to sound more intimidating.

"I'd actually like to request some time off…" Orihime said, surprising even herself. She had no idea where that request had come from, but after she said it she felt oddly at ease.

"And why is that?" Dr. Whitmore said warily.

"Uh…I think the past few months have been extremely…uh…mentally exhausting for me…" Orihime started, trying to figure out as she went along what it was she actually wanted. "I think I need some time to uhm…ahem..clear my mind and rest."

"I think that's a great idea." Dr. Charles said raising his eyebrows. When he immediately saw Dr. Whitmore's impending protests, he raised his hands at the balding doctor. "Now, just hold on a second Dr. Whitmore. The only reason why the Board had suggested six weeks to begin with was to give a period of time for the rumors and gossip to calm down among the staff and for the press to get over the sensation of the whole bringing-a-girl-back-from-the-dead story. If Dr. Inoue needs some time off, then let her take it voluntarily instead of putting her on probation. It would be better for her career."

"I agree." Dr. Merry said firmly, slamming his half empty cup of coffee on the table and splashing his papers accidentally. Feeling flustered because of his clumsiness, he quickly reached for tissues from the box of Kleenex on the table to clean up his mess.

"How much time would you like to take, Dr. Inoue?" Dr. Charles asked kindly.

"How about she come back after New Year's?" Dr. Merry suggested, patting down the wet table and papers.

"Alright, sounds like a great idea! I'll be seeing you gentlemen later," Dr. Yoshikawa said getting up and grabbing his belongings. "Dr. Inoue, happy holidays and get a good rest. I'll see you in the new year." And with that Dr. Yoshikawa briskly left the office. Dr. Merry got up as well, gathering his damp papers and giving Orihime his best 'I'm crabby but I don't hate you' smile.

"We'll see you in January, kid," He said and shuffled out of the office. Dr. Charles stood up, picking his papers and turning to Orihime. He gave her a warm smiled and outstretched his arms.

"I hope you have a good rest, Dr. Inoue." He said genuinely. Orihime couldn't help but smile broadly at him as she gave him a hug.

"You too, Dr. Charles. Say hello to your wife for me."

"Will do. Merry Christmas and come back refreshed." Dr. Charles nodded at Dr. Whitmore with his bright smile. "I'll see you later, Wendell." He said cheerfully and hummed to himself as he left the room. Dr. Whitmore sat in his chair, grinding his teeth together and glaring at Dr. Charles. Orihime glanced at him quickly and took it as her cue to leave. Grabbing her winter gear, she flashed him her best 'I don't like you but I'm polite' smile and walked out without saying goodbye.

By the time Orihime got outside, she realized she was still feeling depressed despite getting the mini-vacation she had requested; she didn't know why, and the fact that she didn't know made her feel even more destitute. _Do I even want to be a doctor anymore?_ She thought to herself, frowning. She tucked her scarf on and crossed her arms against her chest when she felt the blast of cold winter air. It was windy and smelled like snowflakes were on their way. The sky was overcast and grey and made the morning feel like evening. Staring up into the dark sky, Orihime sighed loudly; at a time like this, there was only one thing a woman could do.

* * *

Several hours later, Orihime found herself lying on the carpeted floor of Rukia's living room next to a melting half empty carton of strawberry ice cream. She rested on her back with an arm flung over her eyes as she bemoaned her existence.

"I'm such a stupid stupid person! How could I have been so stupid? What was I even thinking?" Orihime cried. Since the redhead had her eyes covered, Rukia took the opportunity to roll her eyes. She sat on one end of her couch, a hand over her big belly and the other hand dully stirring a melted bowl of ice cream. She wore a red sweater with a forgiving empire waist that allowed the fabric to fall gracefully over her belly, a flowing knee-length black skirt, and black leggings. Normally, Rukia would have been in pajamas or sweats, but since she had company over for the day she had opted to wear actual clothes.

She was beginning to lose her patience with her dear friend. When Orihime had first gotten to her house, Rukia listened with patience, empathy, and without judgment. She tried to console her friend with soothing words, rational logic, food and ice cream, and soon Rukia feared she might have to break out some alcohol. _When did she become so insecure? _Rukia contemplated, when did she turn from an adult who was competent rational and a well-respected doctor into a weepy college girl?

"You're not stupid," Tatsuki said in a monotonous voice, becoming equally frustrated with Orihime. She sat on one of the overstuffed upholstered chairs, legs curled up on the seat as she stirred her own bowl of ice cream. Earlier that morning, Orihime had called Tatsuki needing to talk and Tatsuki had been happy to oblige. She suggested that they head over to Rukia's house since she had already promised she'd go over there to keep the pregnant woman company for the day. Rukia provided lunch and then dessert while Orihime told them the story of her visit to Ulquiorra's office. When Tatsuki had heard what had happened, she cringed feeling guilty; she had been the one to encourage her friend to 'confront' the man. Now, it seemed that the redhead was inconsolable.

"I thought he liked me…" Orihime moaned in a small voice, removing her arm from her eyes and staring up at the white ceiling. "I was so stupid to think that just because we slept together for one night that we had shared anything meaningful. I don't even know why I like him so much!"

"Yeah, you're kind of obsessed at this point," Renji muttered from his position on the carpet. He laid perpendicular to Orihime on the carpet, their two bodies framing the outside of the coffee table, while the couch and chair framed the other two sides. Renji had shown up at Rukia's place after the girls just in time for lunch. He claimed he had only come over to hang out with Rukia and had no idea that Tatsuki and Orihime were there as well. Unfortunately, he did not know that the entire late morning and early afternoon would be spent crying over a stupid former Espada. Renji had plopped onto the carpet after it seemed he wasn't going to get any of the ice cream; apparently it was reserved for the crying rejected girl. After thirty minutes of girl talk, Renji decided to take a nap and had been falling in and out of sleep, hearing parts of their conversation, for hours.

"No one asked for your opinion." Tatsuki scowled at the man. She had hung out with him last night and found it weird that he also happened to show up that morning. She was beginning to get overloaded with Renji-hangout-time.

"You girls are thinking about this all the wrong way," He muttered, trying to keep a bad mood at bay. Generally, Renji considered himself a pretty positive and upbeat guy, but these girls were dragging him down quickly. He knew that it probably looked pretty weird to Tatsuki that he just 'happened' to have shown up while she was at Rukia's that morning, so he had tried to keep quiet and act like he wasn't there.

"What do you know about how girls think, Renji?" Rukia asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, since when did you become an expert? And why are you still here?" Tatsuki added. Renji sighed, sitting up on the carpet and rubbing his eyes with a hand. He couldn't state the real reason why he had been hovering around Rukia and her friends lately- not unless he wanted to face a swift death from Byakuya. Although it probably seemed like he was following Tatsuki around, it was really Rukia that he had to be near. His captain had ordered that he remain in the human world and 'protect' Rukia. Renji was the only one who was could use his shinigami powers to protect Rukia since the other humans had agreed to abstain from using their powers.

When Renji asked Byakuya what he was protecting Rukia from, the stone-cold nobleman refused to give an answer. It was incredibly frustrating for him. How was he supposed to protect his friend if he didn't even know what to look for? He didn't need to be fighting the hollows, there were other shinigami assigned to the area who were more than good at their jobs. He hadn't seen any possible threats to his captain's younger sister until Ulquiorra had arrived in town. But now it seemed that Ulquiorra didn't really pose a threat either…well except to maybe Orihime's ego. Renji didn't dare say it, but part of him felt sorry for the guy.

"Okay, hear me out for a second," He started, pulling his knees up to his chest and resting his arms casually on them. He ignored Tatsuki's and Rukia's skeptical faces since he was mainly speaking to Orihime. "Ignore the fact that you guys knew each a long time ago. Ignore the fact that he was an Espada who kidnapped you. Ignore all that history shit. We all know that a lot of these emotions are probably some residual Stockholm syndrome anyways."

Orihime scowled looking over at the tattooed man, her face starting to look skeptical as well. Tatsuki and Rukia, though, were now interested in what he had to say. Renji held out a hand, indicating for Orihime to stay silent since he had more to say.

"Ok, well ignore the Stockholm syndrome part as well. Pretend I didn't even bring that part up. Imagine if this were just some guy you met, you know, on the streets, in a bar, or on some dating website…"

"Okay…" Orihime said hesitantly, sitting up as well now and giving Renji her full attention.

"You meet each other; you like each other; you go on one date and because you're horny and haven't gotten some in a while and you're emotionally vulnerable because of what happened at your job, you decided to jump his bones. I mean, you made the first move right?"

"Right…but he asked me out!"

"Doesn't matter, by all accounts he was going to take you home like a proper gentleman and you were the one who seduced him. And like any male human, arrancar, shinigami –whatever, he was more than willing to go along with it."

"I don't know if I like where this is going…" Orihime pouted. Rukia tried really hard to suppress a smile of amusement, while Tatsuki still looked a little wary of what Renji was saying.

"He had something important to be at in the morning. He didn't want to wake you, and he left a very polite note explaining this. He told you nothing about where his office was, where his department was located, or even where on campus in general you could find him. And yet, the very next day, you managed to track him down and then interrogate him about your night together. Wait-!" Renji said holding up his hand again as Orihime opened her mouth to say something. "Let's just ignore your general stalker-ish patterns that you have to begin with- don't pout, we all know how you google him constantly."

"Rukia!" Orihime cried out, glaring at her friend.

"I told Ichigo!" Rukia explained with wide eyes.

"ANYWAYS!" Renji continued. "The man wasn't expecting you to show up, but you magically found him and then expected him to have answers to questions that men don't even think about until much later in a developed relationship. Now, Inoue…the woman who managed to find him and then interrogate him about his 'feelings' the very next day after seducing him…does that sound like a woman who is behaving sanely?"

"Renji!" Both Tatsuki and Rukia yelled at the same time.

"Okay, does that sound like a woman who has thought out her actions?" He phrased his sentence. Orihime closed her eyes and frowned as she flopped back down onto the carpeted floor. Her head hit the carpet with a loud _thud! _and she cringed at the pain.

"I don't know…" Orihime moaned. "I guess I wasn't thinking about it from his point of view…"

"That's right, you weren't." Renji said smugly. "In fact, if I were him, I would have been freaked out."

"What? Really?" Tatsuki said surprised. She couldn't believe what Renji was saying, especially when she often felt like he was following her around.

"Yeah!" Renji said enthusiastically. "Chad once dumped a girl after he went out on one date with her, and then she managed to find out where he worked, baked a pie and showed up with it at the bar the very next morning. He didn't even tell her the name of the bar or where it was!" The girls all had confused but thoughtful looks on their faces as they suddenly felt inclined to examine their own behaviors.

"I don't think that changes anything. He knew he was hurting my feelings and he didn't do anything!" Orihime protested.

"By all accounts, you framed your interest in him as purely physical. You mentioned that you hadn't been with anyone in a while, that you were excited to see him, and that you wanted to sleep with him. And THEN you made the first move. I don't know where in there you managed to make it clear to him that you expected a meaningful relationship to come out of a one night stand," Renji lectured. Rukia stared at her childhood friend with a newfound respect.

"Wow, Renji. Where did all that come from?" Rukia said. She did not know Renji to be this analytical or rational about emotional issues.

"I've been spending a lot of time with Chad lately…" Renji scowled. "Do you know that he spouts philosophy crap when he's drunk? It's incredibly boring…"

"Oh yeah…I forget that he was a philosophy major…" Rukia said thoughtfully.

"Wait, are you saying all of this is my fault?" Orihime said, squinting her eyes in confusion.

"No!" Renji said, rolling his eyes. "I'm just saying he didn't know what the fuck you really wanted when you decided to fuck him."

"Renji!" Tatsuki and Rukia yelled.

"Sorry 'bout the language!" Renji muttered, rolling his eyes again. He really needed a beer. Even though he had done nothing but lie around, nap, and listen to women talk all day, he felt incredibly exhausted. Orihime was silent for a while, her face serious but without her previous sorrowful frown.

"I dunno…" Was all she managed to mutter at the end of her thought. "It's just…I don't know why…I just really _really_ like him." Renji used all his self control not to hit himself on the head with frustration. _I just told you a whole list of reasons, woman! Stockholm syndrome, horniness, stress…all reasonable motivation for attaching yourself to the next available man! Women…_

"What am I supposed to do then?" Orihime asked, her face returning to its previous forlorn state.

"Just give him some space; if he really likes you, he'll come looking for you," Renji stated.

"That's easy for you to say," Orihime muttered. Renji just shrugged. Tatsuki looked at her friend sympathetically. Despite Renji's pure intentions, it seemed his advice was not making Orihime feel better.

"Why are you here, again? Have you decided to go native and join the human world permanently? Because you know you need like…a job and your own apartment…right?" Tatsuki asked. Renji suppressed a need to groan with frustration. He wanted to strangle Byakuya right now. Perhaps it was time to return to Chad's bar for a while…at least that was nearby enough that if anything happened, he could probably get back here in time.

"Don't worry, I'll go." Renji muttered, standing up and stretching. His muscles were sore and his foot had fallen asleep from sitting around on the floor. He didn't understand how he could be so nice to Tatsuki all the time and have her be so unappreciative of his company, and how Ulquiorra could be so indifferent and have Orihime hang all over him. It didn't make any sense.

"It's probably for the best, Orihime and I have to go to my doctor's appointment in a while anyways," Rukia said. She didn't mind her old friend visiting her frequently, especially since maternity leave was so boring, but she could see that Tatsuki and Orihime had gotten enough Renji for the day.

"So I'm supposed to sit around and do nothing? Oh my god! I'm going to die!" Orihime moaned melodramatically. Her friends stared at her with irritation.

"Orihime, I've been sitting around doing nothing for weeks now and I'm still alive, so stop fretting," Rukia said, getting up and collecting the ice cream bowls.

* * *

"OH MY GOD, CHAD!" Ichigo groaned, clutching the bottom of the tree trunk, his fingers turning bright red. "You didn't tell me the tree was this huge! Wait….Wait! I think I'm going to drop it!" Chad stopped patiently, waiting for his friend to readjust his grip on the Christmas tree.

"My apologies, I didn't know that you had stopped working out so much since you've retired from being a shinigami." Despite the fact that they were spoken with the kindest intentions, Chad's words made Ichigo frown. He did not want to admit to himself that suburbia had made him soft.

"Dude, when you get married and have a kid on the way, you let me know how many hours you're hitting the gym." Ichigo scowled, but quickly inhaled as Chad started carrying the Christmas tree again. He scrambled to keep up with Chad while carrying his end of the Christmas tree. "Is it necessary to have this big of a tree in the bar?"

"Yes, the customers like it," Chad responded, carrying his end of the tree with ease. Ichigo huffed and puffed with effort, his breath coming out in white clouds against the cold air.

"I wish I had worn gloves!" Ichigo said. Chad grunted. As they carried the twelve foot tree along the icy sidewalk, several people who were also walking down the sidewalk had to walk around them into the gutters of the street to avoid the Christmas tree. It was not only ridiculously tall, but Chad had managed find one of the fattest trees possible. The Douglas Fir was had thick long branches that carried a sweet and spicy evergreen smell; its trunk was wide with thick bark that was biting into Ichigo's hands.

"Perhaps we should switch…" Ichigo had started to say before stepping on an icy patch on the sidewalk and immediately slipping. "AHHH!" Ichigo screamed as he let go of the tree; his right foot slid across the icy patch, twisting his ankle and making him land flat on his side. He automatically put out his hands to brace his fall, but the awkwardness of his landing caused him to end up hitting his head against a parking meter that was on the edge of the sidewalk. "OH MY GOD THAT HURT!" Ichigo screamed, as he reached for his ankle that was now radiating with a piercing pain. He rolled over to his back on the sidewalk, moaning and closing his eyes.

"Ichigo! Are you alright?" Chad said, dropping the tree and coming immediately to Ichigo's side.

"Ugh, no…I think I hurt my ankle…" Ichigo squeaked, grimacing at the throbbing pain. "Uhh…god…I think I'm seeing little blue birds flying around me…" He said absently to himself as his vision blurred.

"There are no blue birds, that's just Ulquiorra Schiffer staring at you," Chad stated.

"What?" Ichigo said, his vision continuing to blur in and out of focus. He vaguely recognized a man of medium height with a blob of dark hair.

"He seems to have injured his head as well," Ulquiorra said. "How many fingers am I holding up?" He asked Ichigo, bending over and holding out three fingers. Ulquiorra had been walking along, minding his own business when suddenly his path was impeded by a giant Christmas tree and an orange-haired man moaning in pain.

"Uh…..six?" Ichigo slurred, before rolling his eyes into the back of his head and passing out. Chad and Ulquiorra looked at each other grimacing at Ichigo's reaction.

"What? What did this idiot do now?" Renji yelled as he ran up to them. He had been on his way to Chad's bar as usual when he saw Ichigo lying on the sidewalk next to a Christmas tree with Chad and Ulquiorra staring down at him.

"He slipped on some ice while he was helping me carry this Christmas tree into the bar," Chad explained in a deadpan manner. "He seems to have injured his ankle and hit his head."

"Well, come on guys! Don't just stand there; let's get him inside before he turns into an icicle. Come on, Chad, you grab his other arm," Renji said as he grabbed Ichigo's other shoulder. Chad looked at Ichigo and then at his tree…and then back at Ichigo.

"But…I will have to leave the tree out here…"

"So?"

"What if someone takes it?"

"Are you serious?" Renji said, raising his eyebrows.

"It took some time for me to find this perfect tree. It's important…" Chad said with a completely serious face.

"I will help carry Kurosaki inside," Ulquiorra finally muttered, rolling his eyes. It seemed he had no choice but to help these pathetic men. They'd stand around being clowns for another hour discussing a Christmas tree and an unconscious Ichigo if Ulquiorra didn't do something. Ulquiorra grabbed Ichigo's other arm and lifted him with ease.

"Woah, you're strong for a little man," Renji commented, as he struggled with his end of Ichigo's weight. They began to slowly carry/drag Ichigo toward the bar entrance that was a few feet away. "Do you work out, dude?"

"I do some kickboxing and running," Ulquiorra replied, ignoring the comment about his stature.

"Kickboxing, huh?" Renji said conversationally as they arrived at the bar door. "I've been wanting to get into that…" Tatsuki had mentioned that she really liked the sport and Renji had considered learning more about it so he could join her. Ulquiorra grabbed the door and propped it open with his shoulder while Renji grabbed the opposing door and propped that open with his foot. With both doors open, the men had enough room to carry Ichigo inside; albeit awkwardly since they had to keep the doors open with their bodies. Chad followed them both, unhappily dragging his tree by himself. Pieces of the branches were falling off and the shape of the tree was getting ruined despite it being tied up with netting and twine. It wasn't too hard though to get the tree to the door at this point since Ichigo and Chad had almost gotten to the entrance anyways before the accident.

"Wait, hold the door!" Chad said, huffing now since he now had to move the tree himself.

"Just chill for a second, man, while we drop off Ichigo inside," Renji said. They pulled Ichigo inside and left him by the coat room. "Let's leave him here for now so he'll be out of the customers' way when they enter and leave the bar," Renji decided as he turned to go help Chad with the tree. "You call the paramedics; it looks like he's out for the count."

Ulquiorra looked down at Ichigo and saw his forehead had a little bit of blood dripping from where he must have hit his head. There was no bump or bruising yet, but Ulquiorra knew from recent experience that the bruising and headaches would come much later with a vengeance. As he walked over to the bar, he thought to himself how ironic it was that it had been a head injury that had caused him to run into the woman again at the emergency room.

As Ulquiorra made the phone call, Renji and Chad managed to get the tree inside and over to the corner of the bar that had been cleared out for the Christmas tree. With his tree safely inside Chad returned to check on his friend, who by now was already sitting up and moaning in pain.

"Well, I see you're not dead," Renji commented. Ichigo tried to stand up, forgetting how he had injured his ankle and immediately regretted it the moment he put his weight on the foot.

"Gahhhh!" He screamed loud enough for the few patrons in the bar to look over at the commotion; luckily, Chad was close enough to catch Ichigo's weaker side and help him remain standing on his one good foot. The two of them slowly made their way over to a nearby chair, where Chad deposited Ichigo. Renji just watched them, shaking his head.

"I'll go call Rukia and tell her what happened," He said with a sigh.

"Ichigo, how many fingers am I holding up?" Chad asked, holding up two fingers.

"Why do people always ask you that when you hit your head?" Ichigo muttered, scowling.

"Because earlier you said you saw six fingers when Schiffer held up three fingers," Chad replied.

"Schiffer?" Ichigo said suddenly, eyes widening. His head snapped and looked over to the bar where Ulquiorra was sitting. The quick movement of his head caused a blowing pain from where he had hit his head all the way down the side of his neck. "OW! I think I also hurt my neck…."

"Don't worry, the paramedics are on their way," Chad reassured his friend.

"I think I want to put my head down…" Ichigo said, his vision getting hazy again.

"I wouldn't recommend that," Ulquiorra commented. He could have left by now, but for some reason he found this situation to be quite amusing.

"Hey! I have….a…few…things…to…say to you…MISTER!" Ichigo sputtered.

"Oh?" Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. They began to hear a faint sound of an ambulance as Renji bounced over to where the men were crowded.

"Alright, I told Rukia. She and Inoue are going to finish up Rukia's doctor's appointment and meet us at the hospital," Renji explained. Ulquiorra's ears perked up at the mention of the woman.

"I have to stay and watch the bar…" Chad said reluctantly. Renji just shrugged, indicating he didn't care. He quickly glanced over at Ulquiorra, but did not see the slightest hint of an emotion or thought in the man's face. For some reason, Renji had thought he had seen Ulquiorra stiffen or shift uncomfortably at the sound of Orihime's name, but he was unsure since this had been in his peripheral line of vision.

The sound of the ambulance was loud and blaring as the doors flew open and paramedics walked in purposefully with a stretcher. Chad quickly explained what had happened and included the current symptoms Ichigo was experiencing as they strapped a protesting Ichigo to the stretcher.

"I guess I'll go with him to the hospital," Renji said rolling his eyes, although secretly thrilled by all the action. This was the most exciting thing that had happened in days for him. As he turned to leave, he noticed an Ulquiorra looking lost in thought. Raising his eyebrows, Renji ventured a thought, "Yo, do you want to come to the hospital with us?"

"No," Ulquiorra quickly said, turning away from the entrance. Renji shrugged and turned around to leave. He followed the paramedics and a complaining Ichigo out of the bar, waving goodbye to Chad and promising to keep him updated. When he was out of earshot of Ulquiorra, he couldn't help but snicker at the guy's reaction to just hearing Inoue's name.

Ulquiorra scowled, sitting on a bar stool and facing a wall of glasses and bottles. His arms rested on the bar counter as he stared at his hands absently. He wondered about Orihime…wondered what she was wearing, if she was still upset from yesterday, what she had been up to this morning. He wondered if she would be the doctor to examine Ichigo, like she had examined him.

"Would you like a drink?" Chad interjected his thoughts. Ulquiorra's green eyes snapped up at the tall brawny man. "It's on the house…for helping," Chad said simply. Ulquiorra quickly calculated his schedule in his head in addition to considering the fact that he'd be lingering with the woman's friend even longer if he had a drink. A glance at the quiet and unassuming man in front of him convinced Ulquiorra that it would do no harm to have one drink.

"I'll have a scotch, then," Ulquiorra said. Chad turned around and grabbed a glass, pouring his best scotch for Ulquiorra. Chad silently placed the glass in front of Ulquiorra and gave him a grunt and a nod of acknowledgement, before walking over to tend to his tree he had left in the corner. Surprised to have been left alone, Ulquiorra drank his scotch slowly, savoring its flavor.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Rukia exclaimed with more aggravation than concern as she pulled aside the blue curtain. "What did you do, Ichigo?"

By the time Orihime and Rukia had gotten to the hospital, Ichigo was almost ready to be discharged. He'd gotten an MRI, a prescription for some serious pain medication, and a scolding from a motherly nurse to 'be more careful next time.' The doctor who came in to see Ichigo for less than five minutes was an older doctor with white hair and kind blue eyes. He asked Ichigo a few questions while reading Ichigo's chart and signing off on a few papers. Renji sat slouching in a chair in the corner of the makeshift examining room.

"Hi Dr. Charles!" Orihime greeted with a smile.

"Dr. Inoue, good to see you!" Dr. Charles said with surprise as he turned around to Orihime and Rukia who had just pushed aside the privacy curtain of the makeshift examining room. Ichigo sat on the examination table trying to scratch underneath the bandage they had wrapped around his head. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, Ichigo and his wife Rukia here, are good friends of mine. I was with Rukia at her OBGYN appointment at the clinic nearby when we found out about Ichigo's accident," Orihime explained.

"How is he doing, doctor?" Rukia asked as she walked over to her husband and squinted, examining Ichigo's bandage.

"He's going to be fine. He's a strong young buck," Dr. Charles said cheerfully. "Just a sprained ankle and mild concussion; nothing that won't go away with time. The worst of his headache is yet to come and you'll want to have his concussion examined within the next 24 to 72 hours; but other than that, he just needs some rest and needs to keep off that sprained ankle."

"How did this happen again?" Rukia asked, looking over at Renji accusingly.

"Hey! I wasn't there when it happened. By the time I arrived on the scene of the accident, Ichigo was already on the ground and Chad and Schiffer were trying to get him inside." Renji scoffed as he stood up and handed the crutches he had been holding for Ichigo over to him. Orihime's head snapped in Renji's direction at the sound of Ulquiorra's name.

"Ulquiorra was there?" Orihime asked breathlessly. "Why…what was he doing there?"

"I was just helping Chad carry his Christmas tree into the bar and slipped on a little ice. Sorry to worry you, Rukia" Ichigo said sheepishly, ignoring Orihime's questions.

"I guess he was just walking by when he saw what happened and decided to help out," Renji explained.

"Really? Wow…" Rukia said blinking thoughtfully, "That's unexpected…but nice of him…" Renji just shrugged as if to say it wasn't a big deal. Orihime was still gawking at Renji and Ichigo, hoping for further explanation. When Ichigo noticed this, he rolled his eyes and tried to hop off the examining table.

"There's nothing more to say about it, Inoue."

"Ichigo! Be careful," Rukia said trying to grab a hold of his arm.

"He's right, Inoue," Renji said in a dull voice. "All he did was help carry Ichigo inside. Any kind stranger walking by would have done the same thing. It was just a coincidence." Orihime didn't say anything else, but her brows were still knit and she still felt her heart beating loudly in her chest.

"Alright, young man, you are free to go." Dr. Charles said, turning to Rukia and handing her some papers. "You just need to sign him out at the nurses' station out there in the hall, and then you can take your husband home."

"Okay, thank you doctor" Rukia said, a small flash of concern coming over her face as she glanced at her husband.

"See ya around, Dr. Inoue," Dr. Charles said and then gave everyone else a nod before leaving the examination area.

"Bye, Dr. Charles," Orihime said absently, her eyes faraway in thought.

"Hey, so…where did Tatsuki go?" Renji asked casually. Ichigo fumbled with the crutches, trying to get a handle on how to use them. Rukia stood by his side cautiously holding out a hand just in case he was going to fall.

"She went home," Rukia said, distracted. Ichigo slowly hobbled with his crutches out of the examination room while his friends and wife followed him.

"Where did Ulquiorra go?" Orihime asked.

"Who knows! Last time I saw him, he was at Chad's place- but I doubt he's still there," Renji muttered. Orihime's shoulders slumped; it wasn't like she was going to go looking for him again. She knew now that it wasn't a good idea to hunt down men when they weren't expecting it. But knowing he had been at Chad's bar and not knowing where he was right now bothered Orihime.

"Renji, can you come home with us? Ichigo's too big and I'll be pretty useless in my state to help him if he were to fall or something," Rukia said with concern.

"Yeah, of course," Renji said to his friend.

"I guess I'll go home," Orihime said, feeling useless. It was getting dark outside already and she suddenly felt a need to be alone.

"Are you okay, Orihime?" Rukia asked, frowning. Did just the mention of Ulquiorra's name really have that strong of an effect on her?

"Oh, yeah…haha" Orihime pushed a smile onto her face. "I'm just tired and you need to get Ichigo home. I'll call you tomorrow. Let me know how he's doing…"

"Okay…" Rukia said reluctantly. Orihime was already heading toward the exit, her head lowered and her hands in her coat pockets.

"What's been up with her recently?" Ichigo said with a confused look on his face. Rukia sighed loudly, shaking her head. She didn't have the energy to explain Orihime's emotional mess to her husband right now; she was feeling extremely tired from all the traveling and moving around.

"Just girl stuff," Renji explained, noticing the fatigue on Rukia's face. Rukia spoke quietly with the nurse at the desk as she signed a few insurance papers before turning back to the two guys.

"Let's go home," She said softly, heading toward the exit. The two men followed her slowly and silently the rest of the way to her car.

* * *

Ulquiorra had been wandering around the city for hours. After he had finished his scotch and left Chad's bar, he felt listless and anxious and he wasn't sure why. Part of it he knew was because of his work; he had taken the job at the University because he thought a new environment might be good for him- or so that's the reason he told himself. He was behind on a lot of work. He had a half-finished grant that he was collaborating with several colleagues on and a half-finished manuscript with an editor who had been on his tail for weeks. The truth was he had been without inspiration or motivation for months; he was stuck. It was at these unproductive times that university administrators often started pushing him to –gulp– teach a class; the very thought made him cringe. Luckily, the emeritus position magically appeared and gave him a chance to escape his teaching duties and the rainy English countryside.

He didn't feel like going back to his hotel room or his office, and that gave him nowhere else to go for the moment. And so he had wandered around the city, exploring its depths and secrets on a cloudy cold winter day. There was something electric and unnatural in the air of this city. There had been talk a long long time ago about the unusually large amount of spirit energy in this city, but the reasoning for this remained unexplained. When he had first become a human and was left in this city for training on how to 'be a human' by the Urahara man, the amount of spirit energy in the air was unsettling for him. He was without any of his arrancar powers and his ability to detect spirit energy and other hollows was pretty much gone; and so all he felt was the uncomfortable aura of the city. For some reason though, it felt warm and soothing to him now - it felt like he had come home.

* * *

**A/N: **Everyone goes home at the end of this chapter! [ulquiorra feeling like he was home] This wasn't done on purpose- complete coincidence- but I kind of like how it turned out.**  
**

So when my fiance read the last chapter, I was extremely surprised to hear that he was on Ulquiorra's side! He said that if Orihime had shown up at his work place he would have been like "WOAH!" and thought she was stalking him and moving too fast. So I tried to take the male perspective into account when I wrote about this chapter. The story about the girl showing up at a guy's workplace with pie is a true story that happened to one of my fiance's coworkers! He dumped her because after one date she managed to find out where his office was located and baked a pie and brought it to him at work. Can someone say commitment-phobe? Hehe, I hope you liked this chapter. There will be more ulquiorra + orihime scenes coming up soon, I promise!

Please don't forget to hit that review button and give me some feedback. Thanks!


	10. Chapter 10: The Second Confession

**Chapter 10: The Second Confession**

It had been several days since Orihime had last seen Ulquiorra. After Renji's lecture, Orihime had forced herself to stay away from him. She tried her best to not think of him and she suppressed all needs to contact him. It was incredibly hard though, especially since she was not working and had so much free time on her hands. She managed to keep somewhat busy though by hanging out with Tatsuki, helping Rukia out with errands, and doing her own Christmas shopping. December was a good time to take some time off, considering the amount of social activity and obligations. That morning Orihime had attended the hospital's holiday party. She hadn't planned on going, but Dr. Charles convinced her by reminding her of the many staff members who loved working with her. Although she had enjoyed spending some quality time with her coworkers, Orihime felt an incredibly strong need to leave the hospital environment. It was as if there was something repelling her from anything that had to do with her profession.

As Orihime exited the hospital, she saw Ulquiorra waiting outside. He wore tattered old jeans, a white t-shirt, and a brown wool blazer. His only protection against the winter cold was the wooly green scarf he had casually wrapped around his neck. He stood on the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets, kicking a pebble on the ground, and looked up when he heard someone approaching. At the sight of Orihime, he straightened up and awaited her approach with unreadable eyes. Orihime did her best to hide her surprise, hoping she appeared as calm and collected as he always seemed to be. When their eyes met though, she felt weak and helpless against his handsome face and piercing green eyes. She wished she could maintain a cool demeanor. The deep green color of his eyes managed to look so deep and hypnotic that she could hardly pull her gaze away. The last few days had left her feeling uncertain about herself and his unexpected arrival put her on edge.

"Professor Schiffer," Orihime greeted, her face remained guarded. The winter wind whipped past them, messing up the long strands of her auburn hair.

"Dr. Inoue," he greeted in response. Both of them stood several feet away from each other, unsure of how to proceed. When he saw her defensive stance, Ulquiorra shifted uncomfortably and stared at his tennis shoes. He could see how she watched him with opaque steel eyes, unwelcoming and skeptical.

"What are you doing here? Are you sick?" She asked, knowing he wasn't probably sick but wanting to force him to state a reason. To her surprise, he was as direct as possible.

"No…" He said looking up at her with hopeful eyes. "I…came to see you."

"Why?"

He took a deep breath.

"I have come to the conclusion that I did not communicate my intentions clearly when you last visited me. I had hoped you would let me elaborate on my answers," he said. Orihime also sighed and looked away from him. She wasn't sure if she could handle this right now. She was not feeling her most forgiving; and for a woman who generally had a lot of patience, she was incredibly short on it today.

"Okay, go ahead."

"I wanted to say that I enjoyed our time together quite a bit," he began slowly, as he took a few steps toward her. "But I was only being honest when I said that I do not know how I feel about you for the moment."

Orihime impatiently rolled her eyes and began to walk away from him. She didn't need to know that he enjoyed having sex with her- there was plenty of evidence of that; but he had made it clear to her that he did not feel anything else. It seemed clear that he did not feel the same way she did about what they had shared. She quickened her pace as she walked away, missing the anxious frown on Ulquiorra's face. He began to follow her but she ignored him. She wanted the warmth of her car and the isolation it gave her from her environment.

"Is that all you came to say, Professor Schiffer?" Orihime called back at him caustically. He did not respond right away but merely followed her to her car. When she reached it, she fumbled in her purse to find her keys. In the jumbled mess of her purse, her struggle to find them only made her feel more frustrated. Ulquiorra kept a respectable distance, nervous about her hostile mood.

"If you could let me continue…" He asked softly.

Orihime raised her eyebrows as she looked up at him. Oh dear, he did look incredibly pathetic right now. She sighed, feeling guilty at her harshness. She watched him silently for a moment, before sighing and straightening up her posture. She nodded, indicating that she was letting him continue.

"I was impulsive and let my physical needs drive my actions. I did not put much thought into what we did and I know I acted irrationally…and for that I am sorry."

"You really know how to charm a girl." Orihime gritted her teeth, as she begged herself to remain calm. He exhaled loudly with frustration, his dark eyebrows knit with confusion.

"I'm sorry. I said that wrong. I mean to say I should have thought about the meaning it would have…spending the night with you.

"Things have not always been…easy with us," he continued, trying to remember his prewritten script in his mind. "But I would like very much to sleep with you again."

"What?"

"No, I'm sorry. I said that wrong again…" He said quickly, shaking his head and looking away from her for a moment so he could collect his thoughts.

Orihime's mind was spinning. Did he know what he was saying? Could he hear himself? His words said one thing, but his anxious and frustrated face reminded Orihime of what Ichigo had said: _He's not like us…he hasn't experience a full human life like we have, Orihime._ It was a reminder to her that Ulquiorra may not have the means to express what he wanted to say properly. His demeanor said that he cared what he was saying to her. And yet, she still felt a pain burning in her chest from the rejection she had felt; she had presented herself at her most vulnerable and he dismissed her like she had meant nothing.

"I get it." Orihime responded curtly. "You liked having sex with me."

He ignored her sharp tone and quietly said, "I do not know how I feel about you, but I would like to try…"

Orihime froze for a moment, shocked at his last words. It took a moment for the words to sink in, before Orihime felt her heart leap in her chest; but she remained silent, not wanting to misinterpret his words and jump to the wrong conclusions.

"I called the hotel room later that morning, but no one picked up the phone. And when I checked with the front desk, they said they hadn't seen you…" Ulquiorra said, staring at his feet. When he was done confessing, he looked back up at her for a reaction. They stood watching each other apprehensively in silence for a moment, while Orihime processed her thoughts.

"I have to think about this," she said shaking her head. The cold air was making her cheeks pink and her body stiff. She turned around and dug in her purse for her keys, miraculously finding them. She opened her door and threw her purse in before turning around and looking at him once more. He looked forlorn and her heart ached at seeing him like this.

"I'll talk to you later, Ulquiorra…" She said turning around, about to sit down into her car.

His stomach fluttered at hearing her say his first name, but his heart dropped when he realized she was leaving. He stood back from the car, giving her the space she needed. His lips were set in a straight line that curved slightly downward and his gaze was set in a deep frown. The wind had blown his long dark hair around his face, and his brilliant green eyes were partially obscured by the strands of his hair. Orihime couldn't pull her eyes away from him.

"Where's your car?" She asked, thinking that he must be freezing without a proper coat on.

"I do not own a car here," he said, looking around the parking lot as if to point out that none of the cars belonged to him.

"Well, how did you get here then?" She frowned with concern.

"I walked," he stated simply.

"From where?"

"My office."

"That's like…five miles from here!" She exclaimed, wondering how he wasn't frozen solid in this temperature and wind chill. He seemed to not understand her reaction.

"It is approximately three miles and…well…I have just moved here, so I haven't had a chance to get a car for myself yet."

Orihime's heart broke at the thought of him walking three miles in nearly subzero temperatures so he could apologize. She suddenly felt like the meanest person in the whole world. She stepped forward from her car toward Ulquiorra, eyebrows knit with concern, and wrapped her arms around him tightly. He stood still as a popsicle, more confused than ever.

"You poor thing! You must be freezing your butt off!" Orihime's maternal instincts kicked into gear. "Here, get in my car."

"It is not that cold out here," he mentioned quietly as he walked around her car over to the passenger side.

"What are you talking about? I've got frostbite on my nose!" Orihime said as she sat down in her car and unlocked the passenger side door.

"I don't find that likely to be true…"

After they both got into the car and shut the doors against the howling wind, Orihime started her car engine with her shivering fingers. She flipped the heater switch and waited a second for her car engine to warm up. Ulquiorra watched the woman as her teeth chattered and little clouds of her warm breath puffed out of her pink lips into the cold air. He reached forward and felt the cold air blowing from the vents.

"Your car's heater is broken," he observed, pulling his hand away from the air that felt as cold as the wind outside. Orihime flipped her headlights on as she considered the darkening skies above her.

"It works…" She said defensively. "It just takes a while to get going."

"That doesn't seem too efficient," he said frowning. Orihime pouted, hating when people made fun of her car. She chose not to respond to his comment and instead changed the subject.

"So where are you staying now that you're going to be living here for a while?"

"I am still at the hotel," he said, his dark green eyes continuing to watch her with interest. She smiled, her grey eyes twinkling at him.

"I thought your little elves might have gotten you an apartment by now," she said as she put her car in drive and started pulling out of the parking spot.

"Elves?" He frowned.

"Never mind," she said cheerfully as she turned out of the parking lot and onto the wide road that led out of the vicinity of the hospital. "So how long do you think you'll be staying there?"

"I don't know…until I find a suitable residence, I suppose." He was not too enthused about the idea of apartment hunting and secretly wished he did have 'elves' who could help him find an one.

"Do you think you'll want to live downtown?" She asked. Outside, a combination of sleet and snow began to fall slowly, making rhythmic tinkering and pounding noises on the windshield and roof of Orihime's car. Ulquiorra glanced up at the darkening skies apprehensively, calculating his safety given the vehicle he had found himself in.

"It does not matter to me," he said absently. "Do you live far from here?"

"Yeah, kinda…" Orihime said, driving casually despite the threatening weather.

"Where?"

"Uhm…like the other side of town." He raised his eyebrows at her answer.

"Perhaps we should go to your house first," he said, eyes fixed on the road ahead of them.

"Why?" Orihime said cheerfully. Her mood was quickly improving in contrast to the deteriorating weather.

"I want to make sure you can make it home safely in this car."

"Whaaa!" Orihime cried out with a pout. "My car's just fine! I've driven in many winters with this car."

"Dr. Inoue," he said, fixing a serious gaze on her. "Your tires are practically bald without tracks and the roads are icing over already. At this rate of sleet and snowfall, it will not be long before the probability of your car sliding and crashing into some ravine will surpass the probability of you getting home safely."

"There are no ravines in the middle of this city," she said scowling at his dry and patronizing tone.

"I am only implying only that your car is not meant for winter driving and may end up in an undesirable position."

"You're just being mean to my car."

"I doubt your car's feelings will be hurt."

Orihime slammed on her brakes, her car squealing and sliding forth on the icy road, only to come to a sudden halt at a red light. Ulquiorra's eyes widened with fear for his life as he sharply drew a breath at the car's unexpected loss of control. His body swung forward at the sudden movement, his hands reaching out and bracing himself on the dashboard to keep from hitting his head on the windshield. When the car finally stopped right in front of the pedestrian crosswalk, Ulquiorra turned to glare at Orihime who only giggled at him. Ulquiorra bit his lower lip in an attempt to prevent himself from saying something menacing.

"Don't worry! I'm pretty familiar with my car's winter abilities." She said cheerfully. His fierce darken gaze had no effect on Orihime. The light turned green and she stepped on the gas again. "But if you're so concerned about my safety, I'd be happy to host you until the weather lets up."

Ulquiorra remained cross and silent for the rest of the ride home to Orihime's apartment. He kept his eyes diligently on the road, which was quickly turning from gleaming wetness to icy whiteness. The snow became heavier as they crossed town in Orihime's little blue Saab. Thankfully, the heat was now blasting in the car, thawing their cold cheeks and noses.

By the time they finally reached Orihime's little apartment building, there was a good thick layer of ice and snow on the ground that crunched when they walked over it. Orihime practically skipped down the white sidewalk while a sullen Ulquiorra followed her to her apartment door. It was mostly snow now and not the dangerous sleet that had been coming down earlier. The fluffy flakes landed gracefully on Ulquiorra's dark hair. The stark contrast of the snowflakes against Ulquiorra's long locks made Orihime smile, and she couldn't resist reaching up and messing up the snow in his hair with her hand as they stood on her apartment building's doorstep. He shook his head after she did this, trying to put his strands back where they belonged while she unlocked the door and let them inside.

When they got inside Orihime's steaming hot apartment, Ulquiorra's skin tingled at the sudden change in temperature. He glanced around the homey apartment as Orihime took off her coat and scarf. When she turned around to take his jacket from him, she noticed he was watching her with interest and a small smile had snuck onto his face.

"What?" She said with wary and curious eyes.

"Close your eyes," he said quietly. She followed his directions, biting her lower lip and smiling despite herself. He reached up and gently brushed wet droplets of melted snowflakes off her thick golden eyelashes with the back of his finger. His finger trailed down the soft curve of her cheek and over to her full lips, tracing the cupid's bow of her upper lip. Her wet tongue mischievously slipped out and licked the tip of his finger as she opened her twinkling silver eyes and giggled at him; and he nearly lost his breath as an aching throb of need flared up.

"You should take off your jacket. It's all wet and my apartment can get uncomfortably warm sometimes," she said setting aside her purse. He unwrapped his now damp green scarf and hung it on one of the golden brass hooks on the closet door.

"So your car has no heat and your apartment has too much heat?" He asked as he took off his jacket, hanging it over the green scarf.

"Sort of, I guess," she said, tilting her head thoughtfully as she took off her shoes.

"It was more of just an observation," he pointed out.

"Haha, yeah, I've gotten used to it. The thermostat doesn't work the way it's supposed to…" She wrinkled her nose as she walked across the living room toward her kitchen, taking off layers of clothes as she went. His eyes followed her, lust growing in him as each layer of clothing was removed, revealing more and more skin. First it was the fuzzy sweater, then the blue pin-striped collared-shirt, then the thin white long-sleeved t-shirt.

Mindful of his wet shoes, he slipped them off before following her into the kitchen, holding his breath and waiting for what she'd take off next. By the time he'd caught up with her in the small kitchen, she was only in a turquoise cotton tank top that hugged the curves of her generous chest. His palms itched, watching to mold and squeeze them in his hands like he had gotten to do the other night; but he kept his desire in check, not wanting to give her the impression that he was some hungry barbaric man only after one thing.

He stood by the open kitchen doorway, leaning against the frame and watching her. Orihime had her back to him as she opened up one of her cabinets. He could see that she had taken off her socks as she stood on her cute tip-toes and reached up toward the top shelf for the coffee mugs. As her body stretched so she could reach the top shelf, the bottom hem of her tank top slipped up, showing him a brief flash of ivory skin.

"So what do you want?" She asked, placing two mugs on the counter, and unaware of her loaded question. He wanted many things, and one of them included her naked on the countertop. Ulquiorra blinked several times, snapping out of his fantasies. He took a slow deep breath, trying to steady his mind.

"Pardon?"

"Hot chocolate? Coffee? Tea?"

"Oh, ah…tea, please." He walked over to her and stood dangerously close enough to smell the sweet scent of her hair. Strands of her sunset-colored hair were still damp from the snow and rain, and he resisted an urge to run his fingers through them.

"Tea, huh?"

"Yes, black."

"Hmm…I would have never pegged you for a tea guy, actually." She said, tilting her head and looking up at him flirtatiously. Her brilliant smile was mesmerizing to him and her silver eyes sparkled. Did she know how attractive she was? Did she notice how men's gazes followed her whenever she walked by? Did she know how difficult it was for him to think straight when she stood so close?

"Five years in England," he explained absently as his intense green eyes followed the gracefully curve of her neck to her shoulders. He wanted to run his fingers over the smooth skin of her shoulders and arms. The memory of her soft silky skin underneath his hands taunted him.

"Ah! That's right! I forget…" She said, stepping away from him and heading toward another cabinet. "I always think of New York when I think of you. Don't all New Yorkers drink like…black strong coffee?"

"No, that is not an accurate characterization of New Yorkers at all. I'm not sure how you could have heard that…" He said, feeling disappointed when she stepped away from him.

"Haha, I dunno…I guess I always pictured New Yorkers as being all rough and hard." She pulled a little green tin can from one of her shelves and opened it up. Picking through the individually wrapped tea bags she frowned.

"I'm not sure if I have black tea…but you're welcomed to look and see what I've got. I hope you find something you'll like," she said handing him the tin.

"I do not think I will have a problem finding something adequate," he said giving her a small polite smile and taking the tin can from her. Orihime found his shyness incredibly adorable; and she wondered what it would take right now to break his gentlemanly façade and turn him into the hungry man he had been when he had stripped her clothes off. She lowered her eyes, hiding the dark desire that had made her blush. Turning around and reaching for her tea kettle, Orihime tried her best to keep the conversation light and casual.

"So, tell me, do you like New York City or England better?" She asked as she filled the kettle with water from her kitchen sink's faucet.

"They are not comparable. One is a city and the other an entire country," he pointed out, picking through her selection of different flavored teas. He tried to hide his disapproval of the fact that most of his choices were fruity flavors.

"Where did you like living the most?"

"It has never mattered too much to me where I live," he stated. "Humans and their habitats are all relatively similar no matter where you go. One can appreciate the subtle differences in culture here or there, but in the end it's all the same."

"That's kind of a depressing perspective to have…" She said frowning at his indifference.

"I said I do not have a preference of where to live, I never said anything about my ability to appreciate my environment," he pointed out.

"Well, how do you feel about this city so far?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited for the water in the kettle to boil.

"It has the gloomy darkness of the English countryside and the architectural edifice of New York City. Its denizens appear more relaxed than New Yorkers though, and I find that pleasing; but it is very cold here." This comment brought a smile to her face.

"I'm glad you like it here! Maybe that means you'll stay longer," she said, picking up the kettle as it started whistling loudly.

"I doubt it. I have professional obligations elsewhere and this is simply a temporary position."

"What do you mean?" She pouted, pouring the boiling water into each mug.

"As an emeritus professor I am simply here for the University's benefit in the short term. I have not been released or chosen to leave my permanent position at Cambridge."

"Oh…so, you'll go back?" She said slowly with disappointment, lowering her eyes as she opened a tea bag and dropped it into her mug. She knew this intuitively, but talking about it so casually made her sad. Ulquiorra frowned at her, not understanding her distress.

"Cambridge is a much more prestigious institution than the University here…"

"So why are you taking the emeritus professorship then?" She scowled, trying to mask the pain she felt in her chest when she thought of him leaving.

"It is a position of honor granted to few…and Cambridge has allowed me to take a leave of absence for a limited amount of time," he explained, watching her carefully.

She turned around so he couldn't see the expression on her face, and stood facing the counter and fumbling with her drink. She stopped asking questions and was quiet for a moment. Ulquiorra waited for her to say something or to turn around and smile and ask another silly question, but she didn't.

Ulquiorra approached her, hesitating for just a moment before reaching out and brushing her smooth bare shoulder with just his fingertips. He heard her take a quick breath at the feel of his touch and her body tensed immediately. She seemed to be holding her breath, and her eyes were closed. He took a step closer and began to run his fingers down the length of her arms, savoring the texture of her warm soft skin. He was transfixed by the way her skin glowed, and he could smell a subtle lavender perfume. He lowered his head, nuzzling the sensitive skin behind her ear and taking in her sweet scent. Her auburn hair hung around her face and he was getting lost in its spell. His fingers reached her hand that was gripping the counter ledge. Ulquiorra slowly caressed the back of her hand, his fingertips moving over her knuckles before interlocking with her fingers. His slow and smoothing touch was slowly coaxing the tension from her muscles. She finally released a slow long shaky breath. She was not new to him this time, and he remembered all the places he could kiss that would make her dizzy with need.

He brought his other hand up to her waist, holding her in place as he bent his lips down to the curve of her neck. Orihime let out a quiet moan as his kiss traveled down her neck and to her shoulder. She didn't just feel his lips; he was kissing her with his tongue and teeth, tasting her soft skin. His hand at her waist moved down over her hips and to her thighs, and then back up again. His touch was creating a heat inside her that was spreading like a wildfire.

"Ulquiorra…" She said breathlessly, her body sagging back and melting against him. She turned her head and caught his lips in a long awaited kiss. She didn't realize how much her body had missed him, but now that she was in his arms it was clear that he was her new master. He pressed himself against her back as his grip on her tightened and their kiss deepened. Her tongue slowly advanced, and his mouth opened to her. Their kisses were slow, savoring each other's tastes, but the knot of need in her stomach was growing desperately. As his tongue slid against hers, teasing and rubbing, she could feel her lust throbbing in between her legs. She moaned into his mouth as she twisted so she could face him. Their lips parted for just a brief moment; he gasped for air before her mouth closed over his again. His hand moved up over her ribcage, finding her breast and stroking it. She heard him make a sound of approval as his hand squeezed and rubbed her breast through her thin tank top. She had been lazy that morning and didn't bother to wear a bra, so when his thumb ran over her tender nipple she felt a bolt of pleasure shoot down her body. Her arms wrapped around his neck, fingers digging into his dark hair. He stepped forward, pressing her back against the counter and grinding his hips against hers. His hand left her breast and moved back down until both his hands gripped her hips. She could feel he was hard with need.

He took her sweet kisses for as long as he could stand it, before he needed more. His fingers that were at her hips slipped underneath the waistband of her jeans, exploring the searing heat of her skin; but he found the restriction of her clothes frustrating. He wanted the freedom to touch every inch of her bare skin. When she took his bottom lip into her mouth, nibbling on him gently with her teeth, he felt his groin burn and grow with need. Fingers moving quickly to the button of her jeans, he continued to let her kisses dominant him for a second as he released the button and pulled down the zipper. His fingers slid down underneath her jeans and panties with ease now, his palm rubbing against the bare skin of her hips and ass. He could hear her making soft sounds of need as he felt her rocking her hips against him.

He broke their kiss suddenly, tearing his lips away from hers. She opened her eyes, surprised at the change. Her eyes met his piercing green ones immediately, and they held her completely paralyzed. She stood helpless, arms loosely wrapped around his neck as he took a step back so he could push her jeans and panties down. He got them down to as far as her knees before picking her up and setting her down on the counter. Orihime gasped at the feel of the cool counter on her butt, but took an even deeper breath when he quickly lowered his head, opened her knees, and found her aching wet center with his lips.

She cried out at the feel of his first lick; and she felt her whole body weaken except for the muscles in her thighs, which were tense and trembling. He held her knees open as the tip of his tongue darted in and out of her milky opening. Orihime's head tilted back at the intense pleasure, her hand on the counter being the only thing keeping her from falling flat on her back. Her other hand was in his hair, the silky strands slipping through her fingers. He took his time at first, sliding up and down between her lips, wanting to taste every single part of her first before focusing on the little bud that seemed to be the aching center of everything. He worked his tongue over and over it, sucking on it, licking it, and paying every bit of attention to it until she felt her whole body grow tense and then explode like fireworks. She was left panting, weak, and unbearably wet. He picked her up off the counter with ease, holding her close against his chest as he took her into her bedroom.

Several hours later, Orihime found herself nestled warmly in Ulquiorra's arms. Their limbs were tangled in her yellow bed sheets and they had had sex twice already. In between their lovemaking sessions, they slept comfortably in each other's arms until one of them woke the other with their needs. They had both just come down from another breathtaking climax; and their breaths were just starting to slow and steady. Their hearts were still beating passionately as evidence of the intensity of their previous session. Orihime glanced briefly at her alarm clock and gasped when she saw how late it was. She started to sit up in bed, but his arms kept her from moving.

"Shh…" He said softly, holding her tightly. "What's wrong?"

"I didn't realize how late it's gotten. I'm supposed to meet Tatsuki in an hour for Christmas shopping." He hushed her with soft kisses, his unyielding grip imprisoning her.

"Don't go. Stay with me," he whispered.

Orihime closed her eyes at the luxurious satiation she felt and the joy in her heart when Ulquiorra didn't stop showing her affection. His lips and nose nuzzled her neck and the back of her ear, before he gently nibbled on her ear lobe. When she released a sigh of contentment, he shifted is weight so he could raise his head enough to kiss both her closed eyes. Orihime hummed with happiness as he squeezed her in his arms. She laid on her back, arms flung above her head in a previous position he had put her in while he had taken her. He was on his side facing her, with one arm underneath her and the other over her waist. His lips kissed the tip of her nose and the curve of her cheek, before moving over to whisper in her ear.

"I thought about having you this way for years," he murmured, his breath hot against her sensitive ear. Orihime's eyes flew open, staring at the ceiling in shock at first, before trying to turn her head and look at him. He wouldn't let her though, turning her and pulling her back into his embrace. The spooning position made it difficult for her to see the expression on his face or his piercing green eyes. She wanted to see him so badly, but she knew he didn't want her to see him being this vulnerable. And so she sighed with pleasure and patience, as he continued to place worshipping kisses across her neck and shoulders. His arms held her firmly against him; his hands moved sinuously across the front of her body, stroking slowly with a possessive pressure.

"I wanted you in Hueco Mundo," he whispered, before his tongue poked and licked the cartilage of her ear, sending shivers down her entire body. Orihime was torn between focusing on his voice and what he was saying and the delicious sensations he was making her feel. "I wanted you and I did not know why. I did not understand it. And I still do not know why…but I can't stay away any longer…not when you are so close…not when I have waited years to find out what it would be like to hold you like this."

He finally loosened his grip on her, and she took the opportunity to squirm and twist until she faced him again. She saw his green eyes become guarded immediately, and she knew she could not ask any more questions- not now when he had already given her so much…not now when he had given her all he could for the moment. And so she said nothing and closed her eyes, leaning forward and kissing him gently. He let her lips move on their own for a moment, before his lips started to kiss her back with just as much care, kindness, and acceptance as she was showing him. They held each other for a long time as they let themselves drown in each other's world.

A few hours later, Orihime woke up groggy from so much sleep and sex. Her eyes slowly opened and stared into the dark room, registering where she was and what she had been doing. Remembering the hours she had just spent with Ulquiorra, she realized she wasn't in his arms and she suddenly had a panic that he had left her alone again.

But as she sat up abruptly in the bed, she saw that he was lying right next to her deep in sleep. Her marigold yellow sheet covered him from the waist down and his arms were flung casually around him. She wasn't sure if it was her movement on the bed or her stare that woke him up, but slowly he opened his sleepy emerald eyes. He came out of his dreamless sleep with a foggy mind, and saw Orihime sitting up and staring down at him. They gazed at each other quietly for a moment, unsure of where to go next. His green eyes flickered up and down her naked form and grew warm with approval. Orihime's tummy grumbled, and she clutched her belly with embarrassment.

"Oh…I guess we haven't eaten in a long time," Orihime said. "I'm starving!"

"Mmm, it makes sense that we would need nourishment after our afternoon activities," he said, voice hoarse and low with lingering sleepiness. He refused to get up from his position, but he could sense the woman growing restless. He intensely regretted that getting food would require leaving the bed, even if only momentarily. "Well, Dr. Inoue…what do you suggest we do?" Ulquiorra asked as he yawned.

Orihime laughed at him- seeing him yawn made him look incredibly human and boyish. His eyes were still only half open, indicating that part of him still belonged to sleep. His question bothered her for some reason though.

"You can call me Orihime you know…" She said slowly, watching him slowly close his eyes again. She mentally replayed their time together, even when they had been together in Hueco Mundo, and tried to figure out if he had ever just called her by her first name. Ulquiorra simply shook his head casually in response.

"Why not?" She asked.

"Perhaps I just like calling you doctor," he stated.

"_Why_?"

"Perhaps I have kinky fantasies about playing doctor with you and like perpetuating that image," he said in the world's most relaxed and expressionless tone. Orihime wanted to be annoyed, but she couldn't help giggling. Needing food more than sleep, she suddenly leaped onto him, almost giving his peaceful body a heart attack.

"Let's get some food!"

Tatsuki was on her way out of the busy mall by the time afternoon was turning into evening. She had been frustrated and worried when Orihime didn't show up for their shopping date. Tatsuki waited and waited, hoping perhaps that it was just the weather or some other natural reason that had prevented Orihime from getting to the mall on time. After an hour passed, Tatsuki began her desperate attempt to get a hold of her friend. She called Orihime's cell phone, home phone, pager, and even called the hospital. When none of these efforts were met with success, Tatsuki began calling all of their friends. Rukia and Ichigo reported having not heard a peep from Orihime all day. Renji and Chad had said almost exactly the same thing. Finally, Tatsuki had called Uryuu. She didn't want to, given her knowledge of the current state of Orihime and Uryuu's relationship, but she was beginning to really worry. She was about to give up on her planned productive Christmas shopping trip and was going to go to Orihime's apartment when she finally heard back from her friend.

"_I'm so sorry, Tatsuki! I completely forgot and fell asleep. I'm so sorry! Could we reschedule?" Orihime vehemently apologized._

"_It's alright, Orihime. I'm just glad to hear that you're okay and not hurt in some car accident or something," Tatsuki said, trying to convince herself that staying mad at her friend would do no good._

"_Oh, hahaha, no I'm definitely okay. More than okay." Orihime sounded upbeat and happy, which was rare these days. Tatsuki knew she had to forgive her friend._

"_We all fall sleep sometimes when we're really tired and lose track of time," Tatsuki said lamely. It wasn't something that was characteristic of Orihime though. Orihime had never been one to flake out on a friend. "Do you want to get dinner or something? Or we could still do some shopping…all the stores have extended hours because of the holidays. Maybe we could get a drink at Chad's afterward?"_

"_Uh…actually, I'm gonna have to take a rain check on that I'm afraid," Orihime said awkwardly._

"_Sure, of course. Are you sure everything's alright, Orihime?" Tatsuki said frowning. She dodged a woman who was on a killing rampage with her baby stroller. The busy mall offered almost no option for privacy or silence, and Tatsuki found herself sitting on a bench near a small fountain. She figured it would be less busy because Santa's workshop was on the other end of the mall, but it seemed the baby strollers were most prevalent on this end of the mall due to all the children's stores._

"_Yes, I swear everything is fine," Orihime said. Tatsuki heard some whispering on the other end of the phone._

"_Are you with someone?" Tatsuki asked with surprise. Could it be _Uryuu_? Maybe they were getting back together?_

"_Uh…sort of…."_

"_Sort of?"_

"_Okay, Ulquiorra is here with me."_

"_WHAT?"_

"_It's no big deal, Tatsuki," Orihime said, trying to placate her friends. "I'll tell you everything later. I promise! I have to go now though, talk to you later Tatsuki!" Orihime hung up the phone and Tatsuki was left flabbergasted._

Now Tatsuki was in a foul mood and had no patience for Christmas shopping and battling mothers with baby strollers for a shirt or a toy. She knew somewhere in the back of her head that it was unreasonable to be mad at Orihime, but in that moment she went with her gut emotion and that was irritation and resentment. Tatsuki turned a corner to a wide walkway that would lead to the main exit; it was decorated with Christmas lights and plastic Santas. Garland and red velvet bows were everywhere and cheerful Christmas music played loudly. As she walked briskly toward the glass doors, she heard a familiar voice call out to her.

"Yo! Tatsuki!"

Tatsuki turned around and saw the usual tough-looking Renji overwhelmed with abundant shopping bags and boxes. Even though he still sported his usual red dreds, tattoos, and leather jacket, the colorful shopping bags and boxes made him look ridiculous. He might as well have been wearing a clown suit. On any other day, Tatsuki would have laughed and made fun of him for the state he was in, but today she merely scowled and wondered why he always managed to show up no matter where she went.

"What are you doing here?" He asked as he shuffled over to her. The amount of Christmas loot he was carrying made it difficult for him to walk quickly and gracefully.

"I was going to meet Orihime, but she didn't show up," Tatsuki said through her gritted teeth.

"Really? Is she alright?" He asked as he raised his eyebrows, wrinkling his forehead tattoos.

"Yeah, she's fine. She's with Ulquiorra." Tatsuki's voice was saturated with sarcasm.

"Woah," Renji said in a low voice. He immediately understood why Tatsuki looked so cross and dangerous. "I'm sorry," was all he could muster.

"It's fine," Tatsuki said, pursing her lips and trying super hard to not be more angry than she already was. She knew she didn't need to be taking this out on Renji.

"Well in that case, do you want to give me a hand here?" Renji said. His arms were so sore from carrying the load of presents that he thought he was going to drop everything. Tatsuki sighed, feeling bad for Renji in his pathetic state. She walked over to him and started to carefully take one bag at a time from him, hoping she didn't make him drop everything.

"What is all of this?" Tatsuki asked.

"Ugh! Rukia and Ichigo's Christmas list; they're both incapacitated so they sent me to get the things on their list," Renji muttered. This was not what he had signed up for when he agreed to 'protect Rukia.' Tatsuki tried her best not to laugh at him.

"Seriously? That can't be the only stuff here…" Tatsuki said raising an eyebrow. She gathered enough bags from Renji that he was finally able to breathe more freely.

"Ohhhhhhhh, it's not, trust me." Renji growled. "The rest of the stuff are decorations and supplies for Ichigo's father's birthday party." Little Yuzu Kurosaki had managed to whine enough about finals and stress that Renji finally offered to take on Ichigo's shopping responsibilities. At the time though, Renji did not know how strenuous of a task this was (_how do women shop for hours without falling over dead with exhaustion_?) nor did he realize the extensiveness of Yuzu's shopping list (_Where the fuck am I supposed to find a piñata in the middle of winter?_). "Come on, I've got the Kurosaki-mobile for the day. We can dump all these presents there."

"Kurosaki-mobile?" Tatsuki said dryly.

"Their minivan."

"Oh, haha," Tatsuki shook her head. Renji was funny when he wasn't being annoying. As the two pushed open the glass doors of the mall, they both were assaulted with fierce blowing winds of sleet and snow.

"WOAH! When did this happen? Have I been in the mall for this long?" Renji screamed, squinted hard so he could see clearly in front of him. Tatsuki didn't say anything because she was gripping the handles of her shopping bags, hoping desperately that they wouldn't blow away from them.

The two of them fought their way towards the Kurosaki-mobile, both of them squinting because the wind was blowing so hard. The pellets of ice and snow hit their faces, stinging painfully. The shopping bags and boxes strained against the wind, frantically wanting to fly away.

"Watch out for icy patches!" Renji screamed loud enough for Tatsuki to hear; the wind competed with his usual booming voice. He was trying to be mindful, considering how Ichigo had ended up the other day because of the icy winter weather. After walking for what seemed like miles, they finally found the Kurosaki-mobile.

"Gee, could you have parked any closer?" Tatsuki yelled as Renji fumbled to find the keys in his coat pocket while still holding onto the bags of presents. He didn't respond to her since the balancing act he was currently attempting required his full attention. He did wonder to himself how Tatsuki could manage to be sarcastic in the middle of an ice storm. As Tatsuki stood, waiting for Renji to open the car doors, she began to get impatient and annoyed at having to stand in the middle of the ruthless blizzard.

"Could you move any faster?" Tatsuki said, loud enough for Renji to hear. He finally found the keys and glared at her; she was wearing his patience thin with her unhelpful sarcasm. Grinding his teeth, he pushed the red button attached to the keys and the sliding door and back door of the van opened. Renji began to put his bags into the main part of the van through the sliding doors while Tatsuki walked around to the back of the minivan and started to put her presents in there. Renji had just about finished stuffing the presents into the van when he heard Tatsuki gasp loudly followed by the crunching of materials; out of the corner of his eye he watched as one of the bags marked "Williams Sonoma" broke loose from her grip and flew up into the air and away from them.

"SHIT!" She screamed helplessly as the wind took the bag far away from them. In the thickness of the blizzard, they couldn't see far enough to know where it had landed. Renji lost it.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" He slammed the sliding door closed and stomped over to her. He quickly grabbed the back door and slammed it closed as well, wanting to prevent any more presents from getting away.

"WHAT _I_ DID? DON'T YOU DARE BLAME THIS ON _ME_!" She screamed at him.

"HOW COULD I NOT BLAME YOU? YOU WERE THE ONE HOLDING THE BAG!"

"IT WOULDN'T HAVE FLOWN AWAY IF YOU HADN'T PARKED SO FAR AND DIDN'T TAKE AN HOUR TO OPEN THE FRICKEN DOORS!"

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT I HAD TO DO TO GET THAT SHIT? NOW I HAVE TO GO FIND THAT FUCKING THING SOMEWHERE ELSE IN TOWN BECAUSE IT WAS THE LAST ONE ON THE SHELF!" The two stood next to the van screaming at each other, mindless of the weather now. Both of their tempers made them heated enough to ignore the blowing wind and ice.

"I SHOULD HAVE NEVER BOTHERED TO HELP YOU. YOU'RE WELCOMED!" Tatsuki screamed at him, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"WHAT GOOD DID YOUR HELP DO? I WISH I HADN'T EVEN SEEN YOU!" Renji hollered, his temper boiling quickly.

"EXCUSE ME? YOU'RE THE ONE FOLLOWING ME AROUND EVERYWHERE PRACTICALLY STALKING ME!"

"WHAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS? IS THAT WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT?" Renji was exasperated that she had to add _this_ issue to their screaming fest as well. "GET YOUR ASS IN THE CAR!" He demanded as he turned around and stalked over to the driver's side door. He opened it and hopped into the safety of the car and then slammed the door shut as hard as he could. The passenger side door opened and Tatsuki entered the car as well. Renji was surprised; he had expected her to walk off to her own car. Renji rubbed his now red face, trying to warm it up and calm down at the same time.

"If you could just take me to my car, we can get the hell away from each other," Tatsuki spat out. Renji stopped rubbing his face and glared at her.

"You!" He said firmly pointing a finger at her. "You need to get over yourself! I am not _following_ you around. This isn't even about _you_!"

"Are you kidding me? What's it about then?" Tatsuki said, wanting to scream if it were not for her throat burning from all the screaming they had done out in the cold wind.

"It's about Rukia and Ichigo's baby!" Renji snapped, his eyes widening in shock with himself for what he had just said. Not only had he just revealed the truth that he wasn't supposed to tell anyone but he had subconsciously figured out what it was Renji was really supposed to be protecting. Renji's answer quieted Tatsuki immediately; she too was in shock and needed a moment to process what he had just said.

"Wait…what do you mean?" She asked in a quiet and hoarse voice. Her throat hurt from screaming so much. Renji exhaled noisily as he turned from facing her and stuck the car keys in the ignition.

"I'll explain it to you while we go to Party Central," he muttered as he started the car's engine.

"Why are we going to Party Central?"

"We need to get piñata."

Isshin Kurosaki slowly opened the extra wide mahogany door, letting a crack of yellow light beam inside the dark room. He could see the blue light of night cascading through an open window, highlighting the outline of a frail man asleep on a bed. Stepping very carefully as to not make any more noise than necessary, Isshin stepped inside the room and closed the heavy door behind him. It was not completely silent inside the room, but the humming of machines and the steady soft beeps that indicated life were rhythmic and droning; the noises had become a permanent part of the shadowed room, blending in with the curtains and the wallpaper. Isshin stood by the door with for a moment, looking at the familiar face of the man asleep on the bed. His face had seemed to age 20 years in the past two months and his once thick head of gray hair had thinned almost to the point of baldness. Taking a deep breath, his shoulders slumped; Isshin dug into his pocket and pulled out a cigar. He walked over to the arm chair that was positioned next to the bed and sat down on the edge of the seat. He leaned over, resting his elbows on his knees as he rolled the cigar in between his thumb and fingers.

"How's it going old man?" He said, keeping his eyes on the cigar in his hands. His voice carried its usual strong tenor, but he had lowered it to almost a whisper in order to keep the peace in the quiet room. The man lying on the bed didn't respond. His eyes were closed and his breath was slow and shallow. He slept on his back, but his head was slightly turned toward where Isshin was sitting.

Isshin reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. The only light source in the room was the open window and a few neon glowing lights from some of the machines next to the bed. When Isshin lit his cigar, the flame created a temporary warm glow that contrasted with the cool colors of the room.

"I have to say, you've moved into a much better place. They actually let you smoke here," Isshin said sucking in on the end of his cigar. He took a puff of his cigar, exhaling hazy smoke into the air. He watched his friend with hooded eyes. "I guess you can do whatever you want when you're in a hospice house. Perks of being a dying man, huh?"

Isshin enjoyed his cigar in silence for a few moments. From time to time he would glance at his sleeping friend, but otherwise his eyes remained distant and unfocused. Eventually he sat back in the arm chair, relaxing a little bit. There were many thoughts moving in and out of Isshin's head, but none that seemed to have any kind of meaning or coherence. If he were to be honest, Isshin's mind felt rather numb. His body felt stiff and his back ached. He no longer had the robust energy that belonged to his youth. Even as a middle-aged man, Isshin had been an active and fit man. It had made him feel ten years younger no matter what his age. But this past year had been different.

"It must be easy being the one this far gone," Isshin said in a gentle tone. "You get all the good drugs," he said, laughing in a low and sarcastic manner. Isshin waited for any kind of response, even though he knew he wouldn't receive anything. After a moment, he merely sighed.

"You always were the one ahead of me…" he said thoughtfully. Isshin's body felt drained of every last drop of joy for a short moment. His usual jolly self had gone into hiding, and he was stripped of everything he pretended to be in this one private moment with his old friend.

"You need to tell your son how you really feel about him- if you still can," Isshin said, knitting his thick dark eyebrows in concern. "I know you've always hated when I gave you parenting advice because I've never been the model father either …but your son…I saw him leaving on my way in…"

Isshin shook his head, remembering his short conversation with Uryuu in the hallway. Uryuu had been on his way out when Isshin had arrived. Isshin was his usual jovial self, greeting the younger man with firm handshake and pat on the back. They had made polite pleasantries, Isshin asking if he would be seeing the young man at his birthday party in a couple of days. The quiet and thoughtful young man hesitated and said it would depend on how his father was doing. Isshin encouraged Uryuu to attend the party, if anything to say hello to his friends who missed him dearly. This comment made Uryuu roll his eyes, but he smirked and a promised to 'try to make it.'

"He's grown up to be a fine young man," Isshin said, more so to himself than the sleeping man.

Isshin had always been a very perceptive man, more intelligent and thoughtful than anyone would have ever guessed. He saw the weariness in Uryuu's eyes and the way his brows seemed fixed in an anxious expression. Uryuu rarely ever gave a genuine smile these days; and Isshin found himself wondering where the pretty little redhead was and why she wasn't making him smile anymore. Isshin knew that the young man's spirit was broken and it was just a shell of a man who had been taking care of his dying father and running a multi-billion dollar healthcare business. It made Isshin's old heart ache with fatherly concern. This was the little boy he had seen running around trying to get his father's attention. Ryuuken had been always too busy to really notice how much his son needed his approval. _Oh Masaki, what would you do if you were here?_ It was a thought Isshin often asked himself whenever he felt conflicted.

"I wish you could be here for all that's about to come…" Isshin said with a quiet urgency that surprised himself. He took a breath to calm himself down and then sat back in the arm chair. Isshin spent the rest of the night in silence, finishing his cigar.

SQUUUUUUEEEEEE! I hope you guys enjoyed that chapter as much as I enjoyed it! And always, I really do appreciate feedback! Even if it's to say you liked it or didn't like it. I know sometimes when I finish a chapter I liked I don't feel like I have much to say except to say I liked it, but a few words still means a lot :)


	11. Chapter 11: The Birthday Party

**Chapter 11: The Birthday Party**

It was a bright morning and the diner was loud with clanking dishes, gossip, and sizzling bacon. Patrons sat at the bar of the diner reading the morning newspaper and drinking steaming cups of coffee, while waitresses in bright yellow-striped uniforms hopped around carrying trays of pancakes and omelets. Ulquiorra and Orihime sat on vinyl seats in one of the retro-styled booths. Through large and foggy windows, they could see the city streets filled with rushed shoppers and people running morning errands. Despite their frantic environment, Ulquiorra and Orihime seemed to exist in their own quiet universe.

"Is there something wrong with your eggs?" He asked as he drank his black coffee. He had been watching Orihime pick at her breakfast with a big frown on her face.

"They're totally not what I asked for…" Orihime said sadly, looking like someone had promised to give her a puppy but then said 'just kidding.'

"What did you ask for?"

"I wanted hot sauce and horseradish on them…"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow at Orihime and then glanced down at the plain looking scrambled eggs in front of her. It was true that he had known her for a very limited amount of time, but during that time he had observed many things: (1) she was not very attached to technological things, often forgetting to charge her cell phone, check answering machine messages, or fix her broken television; (2) she had a strong affinity for her car, which Ulquiorra thought bordered on a pathological attachment; and (3) she had incredibly unusual tastes in food. All three things he had come to accept as a natural part of her vibrant and charming personality.

"Would you like for me to get the waitress' attention?" Ulquiorra asked, already flagging down the frizzy haired waitress.

"Oh no, no- hahaha! It's okay…I'll make do with what I've got," she said as she slathered butter on her piece of toast.

"Excuse me, Miss…Dr. Inoue did not get the meal she had ordered," Ulquiorra said curtly to the yellow-haired waitress.

"I'm so sorry; we'll fix that right away…" The waitress said reaching over to take Orihime's plate. She stopped the waitress by holding onto her plate with an iron grip.

"It's really alright. I've already started eating and I'm starving so I'd rather not wait." Orihime gave her brightest smile to the waitress. The waitress looked hesitantly at Ulquiorra before relenting.

"Okay…well if there's anything else I can do just let me know," she said slowly before walking away.

"Why did you do that?" Ulquiorra asked, frowning and confused. "You just said that you got the incorrect meal."

"I know…but I didn't want to trouble her or the kitchen staff. They look busy today…" Orihime said defensively. Ulquiorra shook his head with disbelief. The woman had too large of a heart sometimes. "So what's on the agenda for today?" Orihime asked cheerfully, changing the subject.

"I have an appointment."

"What kind of appointment?" Orihime asked curiously. She had found it odd that for such an important man who had taken such a coveted position with the University, he seemed to have quite a great deal of free time on his hands.

"To see an apartment," he said, sipping his coffee slowly.

"Oh! That sounds like fun!" Orihime said as she ate her eggs. Ulquiorra watched Orihime eat, fascinated with how the morning light made her red hair glow like she was wearing a halo. He loved how Orihime's grey eyes seemed to sparkle like silver gems in the sunlight. The woman was always vibrant and full of energy and it made him feel calm and at peace with the world; it made him feel as if the darkness he was often overwhelmed with did not stand a chance of conquering him.

"Hardly…I wish I could just snap my fingers and magically have an apartment of my liking," he said with a sigh as he picked up his piece of toast and took a dignified bite out of it; he looked thoughtful as he stared outside through the large fogged-up windows. People hurried back and forth on the wet sidewalk. It was an unusually warm day, and all the accumulated ice and snow was starting to melt into puddles. Orihime hummed along with the country music that was playing loudly in the diner as she continued munching on her breakfast.

"Well, if you're not too picky it shouldn't take long to find an apartment, right?" She pointed out. Ulquiorra eyed her speculatively and nodded.

"I suppose you are right. Will you be going to work today?" He asked and was surprised when her happy face seemed to melt away immediately. He wasn't sure what he had said to distress her, but it unsettled him to see her so unhappy suddenly. "What's wrong?" He asked slowly.

"Oh…I guess I forgot to tell you…er…or just haven't told you. It's not like I really forgot because I didn't know I was…never mind. I'm on a leave of absence for a while…" She stuttered, keeping her eyes down on her plate and cutting her sausage links into smaller pieces of with her knife and fork.

"Why?"

Orihime sighed at the inevitable question. _I suppose he's the only person who doesn't already know_…Orihime thought to herself. She was worried about telling him though; she wasn't sure what he would think of her if he knew she was taking time off work. Would he think she wasn't a serious doctor? Would he think she wasn't a strong person? Would he just dismiss the issue and tell her to go back to work like all her other friends had done?

"Well…" Orihime started slowly after taking a deep breath. She quickly told Ulquiorra about the incident with the young girl and the subsequent review she had undergone. "And ever since…I dunno…I've just felt different; and so, I thought some time off might do me some good. You know…so I can assess what's going on in my life and decide how I want to proceed." Orihime surprised herself; she hadn't told any of her friends about the fact that she was reconsidering her career.

"You do not want to be a doctor anymore?" He asked curiously. He had found it odd that for a doctor she did seem to have a lot of free time on her hands. He had always assumed doctors were constantly working and had very little time to lay around in bed with strange men. It made sense now why she never got phone calls or pages from the hospital.

"I don't know," She said simply, and picked up her blueberry muffin and took a big bite of it.

"You are a strong, intelligent, and independent woman; you will make the right decision when the time comes," he reassured her. He made no assumptions about what she should or shouldn't do, he laid no judgment on her or the hospital, and he did not push her to talk about it anymore than she needed to. It was incredibly refreshing to not feel so stifled while she talked about this topic.

Ulquiorra reached over and wiped a soft crumb from her blueberry muffin off of her chin. It was clear that she either didn't want to talk about it anymore or had nothing else to say on the matter, so Ulquiorra decided it best to change the subject.

"Would you like to come with me today?" He asked suddenly. Orihime's gaze snapped up at his question, meeting his bright green eyes.

"To see the apartment? Really?" Her voice chirped up. A surge of excitement swelled inside of her.

"Yes," he said. Ulquiorra couldn't help but be amused; part of him loved being able to please her.

"I'd love to! It sounds like so much fun," Orihime said eagerly. _This is big! He's asking me to help with in an important task related to his apartment…that means the relationship is moving along, right?_ _This is like…the step before he lets me leave a toothbrush at his place_, Orihime thought. "So where's it located? Do you know what kind of apartment is it?"

"Well…it's not exactly an apartment," he said with a smirk.

* * *

"A little bit higher…higher…just a little bit more…" Yuzu directed as Renji miserably pulled at a rope, lifting the piñata to its proper height.

"Right there! That's perfect. Okay, tie it off now," she said clapping her hands. Renji tied the rope off at a nearby pillar while looking incredibly bored. Putting the piñata up was just one of the numerous tasks assigned to him that afternoon.

"Not looking too bad there, Renji," Tatsuki commented as she walked into the main area of the bar with arms full of different colored streamers.

"Why thank you! I look this good every morning, you know!" Renji grinned, eliciting a noise of disgust from Tatsuki.

"I wasn't talking about you. I was referring to your job of putting up the piñata," she said dryly.

Yuzu had ordered for everyone to be at Chad's bar at 10 AM sharp to help with decorating for Isshin's birthday party, but Karin had convinced her that they didn't need the whole morning to get all the decorating done. They instead settled for 1:00 PM, which allowed Chad to at least serve his usual morning breakfast and lunch crowd.

Rukia and Ichigo sat at a nearby table having a late lunch and watching the decorating process for the party that evening. Yuzu had the brilliant idea that the celebration should have a children's birthday party theme, complete with piñata, balloons, and endless amounts of candy. Her theory was that the children's birthday party theme would help her father feel "younger." She had tried to get one of the boys to dress up as a clown, but they all drew a line at that suggestion and said a firm 'NO!' to the idea. Everyone had been assigned a decorating or set up task ahead of time. Even Ichigo and Rukia were asked to be there to supervise and give their 'expert opinions' since neither them were able to climb up ladders and tape streamers and balloons. Yuzu, always the well-organized party planner, had emailed everyone their list of decorating responsibilities the previous evening, and everybody had shown up as expected− except one person.

"Where in the world is Orihime?" Rukia asked as she chewed on a mouthful of fruit. "I thought she was supposed to be here?" Renji saw Tatsuki roll her eyes, but other than that the question hung in the air with silence as no one seemed to want to answer the question.

"She did promise she'd help out a week or so ago…right?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's probably with Ulquiorra," Tatsuki muttered as she unrolled a long length of red and yellow streamers.

"Why do you think that?" Ichigo scowled.

"Because every time she doesn't show up for something it's because she's with Ulquiorra," Tatsuki snapped, turning around and handing an end of a streamer to Karin who was up on a chair and taping the streamers to the ceiling beams.

"Woah…they must be getting serious then," Rukia said thoughtfully as she shoved a spoonful of oatmeal into her mouth.

"How can you get serious in such a short amount of time?" Tatsuki moaned. "They barely know each other and they've barely had time to get to know each other!"

"Well there are some ways of getting to know someone that doesn't require that much time," Renji said grinning and wiggling his eyebrows at Tatsuki. She continued her streamer job and ignored Renji's comment.

"Sometimes people just have a strong immediate connection. You don't need time to become close," Karin reasoned out the blue. Everyone went quiet and stared at her; it was unusual for the relatively private girl to say anything on the topic of dating or love.

"Karin, have you met someone?" Yuzu asked with wide eyes, not holding back her speculation. It was unusual for her twin sister to do something and not share it with her first, but lately Yuzu had noticed Karin disappearing for hours without explanation.

"No, it's just an opinion," She said quickly. It was hard to discern what she really meant since her back was turned to the entire room as she taped up another end of a streamer. Ichigo watched his sister suspiciously with his typical frown.

"Why are you so worried?" Renji asked Tatsuki as he blew up a balloon.

"Because…it isn't like Orihime to be behaving this way…" Tatsuki said with concern as she continued to unravel the streamer for Karin to tape up. "She's never been this way with any other guy she's ever dated."

"Well maybe she's never felt this intensely about a guy before?" Karin said, playing devil's advocate. Yuzu and Ichigo continued to gape at her with wide eyes.

"This guy is trouble," Tatsuki muttered. "He's got no regard for the other people in her life. He's probably the one who encourages her to skip out on all her friends AND I think he's encouraging her to not return to work."

"What? No…" Rukia said with disbelief. "That was her choice. She made it even before they started seeing each other again. Remember when she came over and cried all afternoon about him after she had had her review?"

"Right! But that was immediately after she thought she had gotten dumped by him; I mean, clearly it wasn't a decision made with a rational mind," Tatsuki said; she had already thought all of this through on her own.

"Tatsuki's right. I don't like this," Ichigo said firmly, pounding on the wooden table with his fist. He shook the relatively steady table with his first, causing Rukia's glass of orange juice to shake.

"Ichigo! Watch it," Rukia scowled as she picked up her glass of orange juice.

"You don't like this or you just don't like him?" Karin asked Ichigo as she turned around from taping the final streamer up and gave her brother a disapproving look. She was never one to shy away from her older brother.

"Both!" He shot back.

"He's bad news," Tatsuki argued. "Just because they gave him a human heart by putting him in a human body, doesn't mean he knows how to use a heart."

"Once a hollow always a hollow," Ichigo confirmed. Rukia shot her husband an exasperated look at his lame comment.

"You guys…" Rukia began slowly as she shook her head. "I think you're all overreacting. Am I right, Renji?"

"Yeah, totally," Renji said dully. He had been blowing up balloons during the entire conversation and his face was starting to turn blue. Tatsuki who was nearby gave him a punch in the arm, eliciting an "ow!" from him. It seemed Rukia would always have strong influence on Renji.

"Like you guys have said, it hasn't been that long. They'll probably cool down eventually and then we'll have the usual old Orihime back. I think she'll miss being a doctor and go back even before the end of her vacation time," Rukia said confidently.

"I dunno…something's been going on with her lately. She hasn't been herself," Tatsuki said with worry.

"I can't believe you guys; you're so judgmental!" Karin snapped, stomping out of the room and disappearing into the bar's kitchen. Everyone was left befuddled, staring at each other and waiting for someone to venture an explanation.

"I'll go talk to her," Yuzu said finally as she rushed after her twin.

"She's right…" Rukia said calmly, feeling the need to be the levelheaded one in the room. "I can't imagine anyone being more upset about this than you guys, and you're the people she probably wants approval from the most."

"I can think of someone who would be more upset if he knew," Tatsuki said, putting her hands on her hips.

"Who?" Ichigo said dumbly.

"Ishida!" Tatsuki stated, feeling like it should have been obvious.

"Oooo…" Rukia said suddenly. "You have a point…"

"Uh huh!" Tatsuki said smugly as she plopped down in a chair.

"Is he coming tonight?" Renji asked as he sat down next to Tatsuki. He breathed a sigh of relief now that Yuzu was gone; it meant he would get a break from the decorating madness for at least a moment.

"I think my dad said that he might…" Ichigo said.

"I wonder what should we do? Should we try to keep it from him?" Rukia wondered out loud as she continued to eat.

"He's going to find out eventually," Renji pointed out.

"Yeah…and it won't be pretty…" Ichigo said, grimacing at just the thought.

"He has a right to know, I think," Tatsuki said firmly.

"I don't know…" Rukia said, thinking carefully. "He's been having a really hard time lately and he's stressed enough as it is…do we really want to add to that?"

"That's true," Ichigo said regretfully. Even though he and Uryuu had their differences, in the end Ichigo would always consider him a close friend. He had noticed during the past few months that Uryuu seemed to be constantly tired and disheartened. Ichigo knew that there was very little he could say or do to change Uryuu's circumstances, and so he settled for feeling helpless and worried.

"Renji?" Tatsuki turned to the boy who she knew liked her for backup. "Don't you agree with me?"

"I don't really have an opinion," he said plainly.

"Seriously? You always have an opinion!" Tatsuki frowned and Renji simply shook his head, indicating his answer was not changing.

"I think this is something between Orihime and Ishida. She should tell him when she's ready and if he finds out before she does, then she'll have to deal with him," Rukia concluded.

"That sounds fair," Renji nodded. After a pause, Ichigo gave in.

"Oh….alright," Ichigo begrudgingly agreed. He had always had a hard time disagreeing with his wife and since he knew that telling Uryuu meant possibly hurting him, it seemed like the best option.

Everyone stared at Tatsuki, waiting for her to agree as well. After a long drawn out silence, she finally threw down her hands from their crossed position over her chest and yelled, "FINE!"

* * *

"Wow…this place looks amazing…" Orihime said as she and Ulquiorra walked into the brightly lit room.

"Yes, the current owners are both successful artists," the realtor said with a perfect smile. She was a woman in her late thirties and wore a brown tweed suit that she believed made her look professional. Her hair was perfectly coiffed into a French twist and her heavy make-up was painted on with expertise. Her knotty arms and skeletal hands clutched a binder of paperwork to her chest as she waited patiently for the couple to take in the beautifully lit foyer of the house. Its skylight brought in more sunlight than necessary, flooding the already white and sterile clean room with blinding rays. The high ceilings made the small entryway feel much larger and grander than it was, and the wide hallway leading inside to the main rooms made it easy to feel daunted by the grandeur of the house.

"I like the clean lines," Ulquiorra commented as he climbed the three steps that led up to the main hallway.

"Ah yes, the architect was a student of Frank Lloyd Wright," the realtor said eagerly as she followed the couple.

"I can definitely see that," Ulquiorra said, seeming transfixed by the angles and curves of the hallway and seemingly endless stream of skylights above them. "It must look very interesting in here during a thunderstorm," he commented to himself, as his fingers traced the white walls.

"It really does!" The realtor agreed, nodding emphatically.

"Have you been here during a thunderstorm…Miss− "

"Paige, oh please call me Paige," she said giving him her most dazzling smile possible. Ulquiorra found her teeth to be unpleasing, reminding him of a horse, and so he gave her his best grimace and continued down the hallway. "I haven't, but the owners have talked endlessly about how much they loved this house during thunderstorms."

Paige was feeling very desperate that afternoon; this house had been unoccupied for months due to its ridiculous price and no one seemed interested in buying such a harsh-looking house, built on rocks overlooking an angry sea. It didn't scream family friendly at all, nor did it scream romantic beach house. The owners who wanted to sell the house had been breathing down the Paige's neck for weeks about making a sale, but it seemed impossible in the near future. She had placated them by suggesting they rented it while the real estate market caught up with the recovering economy. This pale-faced regal-looking man and his little pretty girlfriend looked like the perfect couple to snatch up this house and set Paige free from her cursed clients.

Orihime followed Ulquiorra's slow footsteps; her head seemed permanently titled upwards as she too followed the endless line of the skylights in the hallway. Ulquiorra glanced back her for a brief second as he continued down the wide hallway. "What do you think?" He asked quietly.

"Hmmm," She said, tilting her head back down and catching his green gaze. "I think it would look really scary in a thunderstorm," she said in an equally soft voice. The emptiness of the house made it feel odd to speak in anything but a whisper.

"Why's there no snow on the skylights?" She asked the realtor.

"Oh there are heaters up there that melt the snow and the angle of the glass makes the water drip down to the roofs gutters," She explained.

"Wouldn't the energy bill be really high?" Orihime asked. The realtor just smiled back at her.

"Oh the beauty is worth it!"

They walked into the main sitting room of the house that had an entire wall of glass facing the rocks and ocean. There were sage-colored modern-styled couches and chairs that sat facing the windows and a glass coffee table, but they were the only furniture in the vast and empty room. "I think it would be really cold in here too…" Orihime said, feeling a chill already.

"Oh, you'd be surprised how warm the fireplace can keep you when you have it on!" The realtor said cheerfully, playing Vanna White and pointing out the strange looking angular fireplace.

"It doesn't even look like a fireplace…," Orihime said dully as she looked at the white rectangular fireplace with clear glass around it. It looked like a glass installation that needed figurines and ornamental plates in it, not a roaring fire. It stood alone against a white wall; its mantle had the same hardwood color as the flooring and the foot of the fireplace was a dark black marble.

"Oh just watch!" The realtor said as she hopped over, her high heels clicking on the hardwood floor, and pressed a small white switch on the side of the fireplace. Blue and green flames jumped up from what seemed like nowhere, scaring Orihime with its loud whooshing sound. Orihime glanced over at Ulquiorra who was standing in front of the floor to ceiling windows and watching the sea.

"Uh…that's pretty cool…I guess…" She said distractedly as she walked over to him. He had his arms crossed over his chest and he stared out to the angry crashing ocean with a bored and disinterested look in his eyes. Orihime touched his shoulder and brought his attention back to her world; she smiled at him and he gazed at her for a moment with his piercing green eyes before he took her hand in his and led her back to where the realtor stood. Orihime squeezed his hand and rested her head on his shoulder as they walked lazily. They followed the overly energetic realtor around the house for another twenty minutes, taking in the atmosphere of the house and making unimpressed comments when prompted. When they had circled the entire house and returned to the main sitting room, Paige took a deep breath and flashed her shiniest smile as she prepared to make her final pitch. Before she could open her mouth though, her cell phone rang loudly.

"Oops! Let me get that, just a second…" She said as she pulled out her phone and wandered away into the hallway for privacy. Orihime turned to Ulquiorra and wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up into his dark green eyes. She lifted her face with a small smile on her lips, and he bent down and gave her a short kiss. His arms pulled her close and she rested her head on his chest while still clutching his neck.

"You do not like it," Ulquiorra murmured in a low voice. Orihime could feel the vibrations in his chest as he spoke and she smiled, loving the feel of his warm hard chest and the sound of his beating heart.

"I mean…I'm not the one who's going to be living here," she said looking back up at him tenderly. One of her hands played with the long strands of his dark hair, tickling his neck and cheek. He stared over her head at the window and bright sunshine. It was a brilliantly beautiful day with a cloudless blue sky and a calm air that belied a cold temperature. The sea below the rocks was restless, crashing and splashing loudly. He pulled away from her and walked slowly over to the large windows, placing a hand on the cold glass, and looked down at the dark blue-grey waves.

Orihime frowned at first and watched him walk away toward the windows. He stood there for a while, a dark shadow against the blinding light; and she could feel the silent tension in the air. He did this every now and then, only for brief...fleeting moments. His usually vivid green eyes would turn dark and his mind would disappear somewhere else; and for that short time, he wasn't Orihime's anymore− he belonged to another world. It wasn't that she suspected that he was thinking of another woman or someone else who was more important…it was that in those moments, he would become untouchable in his solitude.

She walked up to him and stood in front of the window next to him. Her arms crossed in front of her body, she could feel the cold chill coming off the thick glass. Ulquiorra rested his forehead against the window, his hot breath creating a fog on the glass. His eyes were lowered, and she could see he was staring down at the water.

"Did you know I'm afraid of the sea?" He said suddenly in a low and quiet voice that was at odds with the loud sound of the crashing waves below them. "I'm not sure why…it is a terrifying fear actually, and something that I only developed once I became human."

"No, I didn't know…" She said, watching him carefully. Ulquiorra's reactions and expressions were always subtle and fleeting, and she was never a hundred percent sure she was reading him correctly.

"I can't swim," he said, turning and looking at her. She met his dark emerald gaze and saw a ghost of a smile on his face. "Whenever I'm on planes and flying over water, I do everything I can to not look down. I'll close the window or shut my eyes…Whenever I look at water, I think about drowning."

Orihime listened to him; her soft deep breaths were audible in the echoing silence of the room. She watched him with her large grey eyes, dark golden lashes batting a few times while she stared at him. Her eyebrows were with knit with concern, but she didn't say anything. It had become a learned habit that whenever he would confess anything personal like he was doing now, she had to be as quiet as possible− otherwise he'd stop talking about whatever it was he was talking about and return to being the complete stranger he seemed to be most of the time.

"When I have nightmares…" He said slowly in a hoarse whisper, "I dream about the sea. It's different each time…sometimes dark and angry like it is now, other times blue-green and calm, or pink and unusual."

Orihime didn't know what to say, how to react, or even how to interpret what it was he was telling her. It was as if by sharing his fear with her, he was also instilling the same fear in her. She glanced down at the water, and this time she felt a shiver down her spine not from the cold but by the sudden persona the water had taken on; and suddenly, Orihime was also terrified of the sea. Her gaze snapped back up and she turned around, feeling dizzy and unable to look out the window any longer. She took a deep shaky breath before looking back at him. He straightened up and took a step away from the window, turning to meet her gaze.

"I'm going to take the place," he said quietly, his green eyes were calm and steady. He stuck his hands into his pant pockets and walked away from her toward the hallway, where they could hear the realtor still chatting away on her phone.

"Why?" She said in shock, her mouth wide open. He stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. He looked sad.

"Forgiveness through punishment, remember?" He said, and turned back around and walked down the hall. He was such a mystery to her…and that thought, for some reason, made her sad.

* * *

Uryuu shut off the engine of his car after he had finally found a parking spot. There, in the darkness of his car, he took a deep breath and simply sat there for a moment. He closed his eyes, begging for his headache to go away; he didn't know how he'd last through the night if this headache didn't cease. It would be loud chaos inside the bar, he knew this for certain, and it would do nothing except exacerbate his headache. Taking the measured deep breaths he had been practicing as a part of his 'de-stress' initiative, he went over the details of his evening. The nurse said that she would give his father his meds at 8:00 PM tonight and then wake him again at 10:00 PM and ask him for his pain level; she would then administered whatever level of morphine would be necessary to alleviate his pain. They had decided to skip his bath for the night, since he had been in a great of deal of pain when Uryuu had left a few hours ago. Tomorrow, Uryuu would stop by and have breakfast with his father before he had to go meet with accountant again. The meeting with the accountant was incredibly important in terms of building a strategy to counteract what the board members wanted to do with his father's company after he died.

Uryuu rubbed the temples of his head, moaning to himself with disbelief at what his life had become. Buried inside him somewhere was a deep and tight knot of resentment against his father for deciding to buy this business ten years ago. It wasn't enough for Ryuuken Ishida to run a hospital; he wanted to run an entire healthcare industry as well. He took over one of the largest healthcare companies that produced medical supplies in the nation and magically turned it into a profit making machine. Uryuu would always dryly remark about how much money his father was making off of sick people, and his father would dryly remark that Uryuu wasn't his son.

The liver cancer came viciously and quickly, debilitating his father after only a few months and pushing Uryuu into a position with responsibilities beyond his imaginings. It didn't take long for arguments to arise that pushed away Uryuu's indifference and disdain for his father's business: there were patents pending that could save millions of lives, employees who had been loyal their entire lives and needed the business to stay successful in order to keep their jobs, and ruthless money hungry board members who made his father look like a saint.

Tonight would be the same as the night of the fundraiser: make a quick appearance, satisfy social obligations, and then get out as soon as possible. There were only two things Uryuu consistently longed for these days, sleep and Orihime; the latter he would never have again, but he knew that he could at least get sleep every now and then− and so when the opportunity to get eight hours of sleep would arise, Uryuu snatched it up like his father snatched up morphine. His mind was wandering into dark thoughts that he knew were as destructive as a drug addiction, and so he decided it was time to get going. He unbuckled his seat belt and braved the cold night.

The air was crisp and clean smelling and the street lights decked in garland and ribbons gave the evening a heavenly glow. Cheerful college students skipped down the sidewalk past tipsy business men. Chad had chosen a very good spot for his bar; it was close enough to the university to attract the college crowd, but far enough to deter most of the underage kids. And it sat at the edge of downtown on one of the main roads that led out to the suburbs, making it a convenient happy hour stop on the way home for people who worked in the city. Uryuu could already hear the roar of the crowd when he was still several feet away from the bar entrance.

When he pushed over the bar doors, his senses were assaulted with spicy and sweet smells, hot humidity, loud music, laughing and chatter, and familiar faces. He stood by the door for a moment, taking in the scenes of the bar. In a corner he saw Isshin Kurosaki, blinded folded and trying to hit a piñata with a ribbon-covered stick; his swings were way off and his stick kept coming dangerously close to nearby strangers' heads. Yuzu, Ichigo, and Rukia were nearby laughing and watching him trying to hit the piñata. Renji and Tatsuki were nearby, halfway watching, but mostly paying attention to their own game of pool. Another corner of the bar held a magnificent Christmas tree, decked out with multi-colored lights and silver ornaments. The branches had red velvet ribbons tied to them and the top of tree held a bright glowing silver star. There were other familiar faces, eating and dancing and enjoying the festive environment, but Uryuu didn't feel like saying hello to them. Chad caught Uryuu's gaze and waved hello to him.

"Good to see you my friend," Chad said to him when Uryuu got closer to the bar. "Grab a seat."

"Good to see you too, Chad." Uryuu sat down on the only open bar seat and leaned against the counter.

"I've got a great Christmas brandy, would you like to try it?" Chad offered.

"Hmm…as festive as that sounds, I think I'll have to take a rain check and stick to my usual scotch," Uryuu said with a half smile. "Looks like the party is a success."

Chad grunted. "Indeed."

Uryuu watched Isshin finally land a blow on the piñata with a loud "smack!" and everyone who was watching cheered loudly. The piñata broke apart, sending candy flying all over the bar like sparkling raindrops. Some of the candy hit nearby strangers in the head hard, causing them to scowl at the Kurosaki family, while other patrons gleefully caught he candy in their hands and cheered. Mariah's classic "_All I want for Christmas is you!"_ played loudly in the bar.

"How is your father?" Chad asked as he placed a glass of dark amber scotch in front of Uryuu.

"The same," Uryuu said picking the glass and taking a long sip. "Is Orihime here?"

Chad hesitated for a moment, which was unlike him. The man was usually as direct as possible without being impolite. "Mmm, yes," he said, looking above Uryuu's head at a corner table.

Uryuu followed Chad's gaze and saw Orihime and Ulquiorra sitting together at a cozy table. They were talking about something that was making Orihime laugh, while Ulquiorra played with one of her hands in his. Uryuu stared helplessly; she looked so wonderful tonight. Orihime wore a pink sweater and her red hair was tied up into a pony tail with a pink ribbon. A gold chain with a heart-shaped locket hung from her neck. Underneath the table, Uryuu could see she was wearing a dark grey pleated skirt with black thigh-high wool tights and ankle length boots. The Christmas lights in the bar made her usual pretty face and red hair glow like an angel's; but it was Ulquiorra who was holding her hand and making her laugh, and that reality soon forced Uryuu to tear his eyes away from her. Slamming his scotch, Uryuu shoved his empty glass to over to Chad.

"Another please," he said hoarsely, the alcohol burning down this throat. Chad stared at his friend with concern and then poured him another glass without saying anything. He pushed the glass toward Uryuu and then turned around and disappeared behind swinging doors that led to the kitchen. From across the room, Uryuu heard the younger Kurosaki.

"Hey Ishida!" Ichigo said, hopping over with his crutches. Uryuu raised his eyebrows.

"Hey, Kurosaki, what did you do to your leg?" He asked, glancing at the wrapped ankle and crutches.

"Ugh, stupid accident; I slipped on some ice while helping Chad carry his damn Christmas tree in here," Ichigo explained as he reached Uryuu.

"Nice," Uryuu said dryly. "What's the deal with them?" He asked, nodding over to where Orihime and Ulquiorra sat. Ichigo followed Uryuu's nod and saw who he was referring to, and then grimaced when he realized what Uryuu was talking about.

"Oh them? They arrived about an hour ago," Ichigo said, avoiding the real question. The person who had been occupying the bar stool next to Uryuu got up and walked away and Ichigo sighed loudly with relief. "Thank god! A seat! I've been standing all night. Now I know why Rukia gets so crabby when no one on the bus offers her a seat," Ichigo said as he leaned his crutches against the bar counter and then hopped onto the stool.

"If you needed to be on crutches to understand why that would annoy her, then you probably deserved whatever happened to your foot," Uryuu said dryly.

"Thanks, Ishida. You're as kind as ever," Ichigo replied without missing a beat. "Anyways, how's your father?" Uryuu's hand turned into an angry fist. Ichigo frowned, not knowing if it was because he had asked about Uryuu's father or because Ulquiorra had just leaned over and given Orihime a long kiss.

"Why does everyone ask me that every time they see me?" Uryuu asked.

"Because I assume they think they're just being thoughtful," Ichigo said rolling his eyes and sighing. It was inevitable that Ichigo would not be able to say anything right to Uryuu. It had become a natural pattern in the past few months. No matter what Ichigo did, nothing could make the man feel even the slightest bit better; and it probably didn't help that Ulquiorra was now making out with Orihime, his hand reaching down and grabbing her half-clad thigh.

"Can I buy you a drink?" Ichigo said, reaching for his wallet. _Alcohol could help, right?_ Ichigo thought.

* * *

"Woah, they're really going at it," Renji muttered as he waited to take his turn. Tatsuki looked up at what Renji was talking about right before she took her shot.

"Yeah, what do you expect," She muttered, shooting at the white ball with her stick. It ricocheted off a green ball and into a red one that shot right into the corner pocket.

"I'm glad Ichigo is over there talking to Ishida," Renji said. "We should go say hi to him."

"Yeah, after I beat you here. Almost done," She said, lining up her next shot.

"Yeah…but his hand is like….up her skirt," Renji said. Tatsuki gasped and looked up at Orihime and Ulquiorra right as her hand slipped and her stick hit the white ball extra hard at a wrong angle.

"Oh shit!" She yelled covering her mouth. It flew across the pool table with great force, hitting a yellow ball that went flying across the room. Luckily its trajectory didn't hit any of the unsuspecting bystanders, but instead landed safely cushioned in the Christmas tree, knocking several silver ornaments over with loud crackling sounds of broken glass. Several people stepped back looking at the now damaged tree.

"Chad is going to kill me…" Tatsuki said, staring in horror. She looked over at Renji who was too busy snickering at her to be worried. "Renji! Seriously…what am I supposed to do! Chad spent hours making that tree look perfect!"

Renji couldn't stop laughing, which infuriated Tatsuki who went over to him and grabbed his stick out of his hands. Renji coughed trying to calm himself down.

"Okay…hahaha, ok…Tatsuki, don't worry. We'll just clean this up before Chad sees it and rearrange the ornaments; he won't even notice. He's too busy tonight anyways." When Tatsuki still looked worried, Renji patted her shoulder and gave her a reassuring grin. "I'll even clean it up. You pick up the big pieces and I'll go grab a broom from the kitchen."

As Renji walked away, he couldn't help but continue to snicker to himself. Tatsuki made the greatest faces when she was upset sometimes; it made her look incredibly adorable. The hard lines and sharp angles of her face would disappear and her large brown eyes would stare imploringly at him. It made him feel extremely good to be able to take care of small things like this for her.

He whistled to himself as he walked over to the bar, and pushed the kitchen door open. He remembered seeing the broom over by the usual mop and cleaning supplies…perhaps next to the garbage cans? Renji turned a corner of the kitchen into a darker part of the room that led into the pantry. Maybe it was near the pantry? He thought to himself as he walked into the dark. In a far corner of the room, he saw a glow of yellow light coming from the pantry. Ah, it must be over there…He walked swiftly toward the light and as he stepped into the pantry he saw a slim and dark haired girl with her arms wrapped around Chad's neck. She stood on her tip toes since he was so much taller than her, her head tilted and her lips glued to his. His large hands gripped her lower back and hips as she pressed herself against him, making soft swooning noises.

"What the−!" Renji said, stopping in his tracks. The dark haired girl and Chad stopped kissing and turned when they heard Renji. "KARIN?" Renji cried in shock, his mouth gaping open and eyes wide with surprise.

"Renji!" Karin and Chad said at the same time. Chad pushed Karin away, immediately aware of the consequences of his friend seeing him making out with Ichigo's younger sister.

"Ahhh!" Renji said, needing desperately to get away from the situation. He turned and practically ran out of the kitchen, pushing the swinging doors open and returning to the bright and noisy main room of the bar.

He looked back and forth amongst the crowd. He had to tell someone. Maybe if he told a complete stranger what he had just seen he wouldn't feel this tight bursting need to just tell everyone in the bar that he'd just seen Chad practically ripping Karin's clothes off. Without thinking, Renji grabbed the nearest stranger who was walking past him by the shoulders and shook him slightly. "I JUST SAW CHAD MAKING OUT WITH KARIN!" He yelled with large crazy eyes.

Ulquiorra frowned as he looked down at the large hands that gripped his shoulders, and then he glared up at Renji with disapproving eyes. "What are you doing, Abarai?" He said in a threatening tone.

"I just saw Chad making out with Karin Kurosaki!" He repeated, hands still gripping Ulquiorra's shoulders. Ulquiorra sighed, realizing that the redheaded tattooed man was just being his usual clown-self.

"Who is Karin Kurosaki?" Ulquiorra said, his voice dripping with disinterest as he pried Renji's hands off his shoulders.

"Ichigo's baby sister!" Renji explained, eyes still wide with shock.

"Oh," Ulquiorra said, looking bored.

"Oh? Don't you get it?" Renji said with disbelief.

"No, not really," Ulquiorra said. "If you could excuse me, I need to find the men's restroom." Ulquiorra turned around and disappeared into the crowd, leaving a still stupefied Renji in his wake.

* * *

"Uryuu! Hi! It's so good to see you," Orihime greeted as he approached. Her grey eyes sparkled as they usually did and her pink lips curved into an easy smile when he sat down in Ulquiorra's empty chair.

"Orihime. How are you?" He asked. His muscles felt relaxed and his eyelids heavy. A few glasses of scotch later, he had noticed Ulquiorra getting up and heading over to the men's room. It was then that he decided he'd go over and say hello to his ex-girlfriend.

"I'm doing well. How about you?" She replied, sipping on a glass of red wine.

"Horrible, actually," He stated, picking Ulquiorra's glass and sniffing it. It was the same scotch he had been drinking, and so Uryuu took a sip of it.

"Why's that? Is your father doing okay?" She asked, eyebrows knit with worry.

"No, he's fine."

"Well what is it then?"

"Are you guys officially together now?" Uryuu asked, his dark blue eyes meeting her grey ones. She could tell he was a little tipsy, and she pursed with lips, not knowing how to respond.

"Well…yes, I guess we are…"

Uryuu laughed; his voice sounded coarse, sarcastic, and mocking. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised."

Orihime didn't respond, her eyes searching his face for his true intentions. Was he hurt? Or did he just feel like being mean to her tonight?

"You didn't waste any time," He said, his vision blurring a bit. It was getting dark in the room for some reason, but he could still see her beautiful face. Her cheeks were pink from the heat of the room and the red wine, and her eyelids glittered with some kind of dark eyeshadow. She never wore this kind of makeup when she dated him.

"I don't know what you mean," She said in a sad tone.

"Did you know I waited for you…for years?" He said, playing with the glass of scotch in his hands. His eyes looked distant, as if he were remembering all the years he had known her. When she didn't respond to him, he continued, "I knew you had never really felt the same way I did, but I thought if I just kept waiting and was there for you whenever you needed me that eventually you'd understand."

"Uryuu, I never meant to you hurt," She said, her heart aching. She reached over and put her hand over one of his.

"You can't be serious," he said, pulling his hand away from hers. "You can't believe that leaving me and going to _him_ wouldn't hurt me."

"I'm sorry that you're hurting right now. I wish I could change things," she said, sitting back in her chair and putting her hands in her lap helplessly. "Can't we just be friends?"

Uryuu laughed. "Are you serious?"

"Uryuu…" She said, her eyes pleading with him. He stared at her, looking for the familiar girl he had fallen in love with but saw someone in her place.

"Pshh.." He said with disgust, getting up from his seat and stumbling a little bit. It was time to go. He turned and headed for the door.

"Uryuu, where are you going?" Orihime asked getting up as well. He was heading for the exit and he didn't look like he was okay. She was worried and didn't want him driving in his condition. This is what she told herself when she grabbed her coat and threw it on. She quickly threw the strap of her purse over her shoulders as she followed him outside. "Uryuu, please, can we talk about this?"

He ignored her and kept walking. She almost tripped on a step as she stepped out into the cold.

"Uryuu!" Orihime said walking briskly out of the bar. As she pushed by a few party-goers, a girl yelled, "Hey! Watch it!" and another guy yelled, "What's your problem?" Orihime ignored them as she started to jog in order to catch up to Uryuu.

"Uryuu! Talk to me!" Orihime yelled as she was catching up to him. His anger made his muscles tense and his pride made his spine rigid. He ignored Orihime.

"Uryuu, turn around and talk me! You owe me that much!" Orihime barked at him. She had never seen him like this in her whole life. The Uryuu she knew didn't smoke or drink or get angry like this. She had known him for so much of her youth only to come to find herself an adult staring at a stranger.

"I don't owe you anything, Inoue," he said dispassionately, refusing to turn around and look at her. She finally reached him and tried to grab his arm but, he ripped himself out of her grip as soon as he felt her. Orihime felt the onset of tears− tears of frustration, guilt, and pain.

"Why are you doing this to me, Uryuu?" She cried throwing her arms up in the air, and without knowing it, stomping a foot angrily on the cement pavement. Her heaving hot breaths were white clouds in cold winter air. Her cheeks were turning pink and her body tensed with an instinctual need to defend itself. Nearby strangers couldn't help but slow down and stare as they walked by the arguing couple.

"WHY CAN'T YOU BE HAPPY FOR ME?" She screamed at him at the top of her lungs, her throat hurting with the exertion and sudden rush of cold air. Uryuu finally stopped walking away from her when he heard her scream this.

"YOU CAN'T SAVE HIM, ORIHIME!" Uryuu yelled back at her. He felt like his chest was burning, like he couldn't breathe, like his whole world was falling apart. That was it…his whole world was falling apart in front of him and there was nothing he could do. Suddenly everything he had been suffering became clear to him; he saw the tragedy and pathos of his life before his very own eyes and it made him disgusted and angry at what he had become: weak and pathetic. Uryuu stalked over to Orihime. He grabbed her upper arms with an iron grip, fury burning in his midnight blue eyes and he shook her body hard.

"You will _**never**_ be able to understand him, and he will _**never**_ understand you− not like I do!" He yelled through clenched teeth. Such an anger was so uncharacteristic of him, but for some reason the rage flowed so easily out of him. Everything had been bottled up inside him for too long; months of solitude with his dying father and late nights alone in his father's office had drained him of the man he used to be.

"Why can't you see that he's just like you and me?" Orihime said in a desperate voice in between her sobs. She coughed and cried helplessly as she withstood Uryuu's physical violence. His fingers dug into her shoulders painfully, and his shaking her body and had caused her head to snap back and forth enough to make her head spin and her ears ring.

"I can't look at him and see _anything_ but a demon!" Uryuu said, grinding his teeth with violent anger. The culmination of the past six months had turned into this. "How can you forget what he did to you and your friends? How can you forget how he imprisoned you and tortured you and how he tried to kill all your friends? He's a monster!"

"Uryuu….please," Orihime sobbed, tears and snot streaming down her face. Her nose, eyes, and cheeks were now red from the cold and emotions and her entire body trembled with fear and pain. "Uryuu…I love him…" She managed to whisper.

Uryuu froze for a moment in disbelief when he heard this; he stared at her with a hard and frozen look in his eyes. When his mind had processed and fully comprehended what she had said, Uryuu felt his entire body drain of blood. The anger was suddenly replaced by pain and the violence was replaced with desperation. He gripped her even more tightly, this time hoping not to punish her, but to keep her from getting away.

"YOU DON'T MEAN THAT!" He cried at her, feeling his own tears coming on. His grip was tightening on her and there were sobs of emotional and physical pain.

"Ow…ow…you're hurting me…" Orihime struggled to get out of Uryuu's grip but she could hardly move.

"Ishida! What are you doing? Stop it!" Chad said in a firm voice as he came running at them. The men had finally stepped outside to see what was going on after someone reported hearing yelling and screaming. Chad was the first out the door and the first to see the crying and screaming Orihime. Ulquiorra followed soon after; and at the sight of another man gripping his woman and hurting her, he broke out into a full run towards them. Renji followed Ulquiorra and ran to catch up, and a slow moving and hobbling Ichigo on crutches came after him.

When Chad got to them, he reached for Uryuu's shoulders and grabbed Uryuu's arms, trying to pull them off of Orihime. Despite Uryuu's iron grip, Chad's strength finally overwhelmed him. Chad was able to rip Uryuu's hands from Orihime's shoulders. The force of the action sent Orihime flying backwards, where Ulquiorra arrived just in time to catch her. Orihime continued crying as she turned weakly around in Ulquiorra's arms, hugging and clutching him. He let her bury her wet face of tears into his chest as his arms came protectively around her. One of his hands held her head, smoothing her hair and trying to comfort her; Ulquiorra's green eyes were searing lasers of hate as he glared at Uryuu. Uryuu pushed Chad off of him with anger and started to walk away. When Renji arrived on the scene, and soon after a hobbling Ichigo, there was nothing left to do except stare awkwardly at the situation.

"Renji," Chad said, digging in his pockets.

"Yeah?"

"Drive Ishida home," Chad said as he found his keys and threw them at Renji. Renji nodded as he caught them and then ran to catch up with Uryuu. He knew it would be a fight to get the man to let him drive him home, but it had to be done since the man was drunk on scotch and love. Chad and Ichigo looked at each other and both of them sighed loudly in unison.

"What a night…" Ichigo muttered, shaking his head and looking at the ground.

"Ichigo! What happened?" Rukia said as she waddled/jogged outside. Tatsuki followed her with a concerned look on her face. Ichigo shrugged, eyes still on the ground, unable to find the words to really say what had happened without offending anyone.

"Orihime….are you alright?" Tatsuki said, wanting to go to her friend and comfort her but hanging back since someone else was already doing the job. Orihime turned her head so she was no longer facing Ulquiorra's chest and could see her friends. She locked eyes with her best friend and nodded slowly, but Tatsuki could see she wasn't alright. "Where did Renji go?" Tatsuki asked. She was not surprised that Uryuu was gone, but she suddenly was worried about where Renji went.

"He's driving Ishida home," Chad said, his voice uncharacteristically betraying fatigue and distress. He turned around and started to head back into the bar without saying anything else.

"I will take her home," Ulquiorra said simply to the woman's friends. He gathered Orihime into the crook of his arm and slowly walked her away from her friends. She did not turn around or say good-bye to them. She didn't do anything to acknowledge her friends as she disappeared into the dark night with Ulquiorra.

Tatsuki, Rukia, and Ichigo watched them for a while helplessly, each of them feeling an immense amount of unaccountable guilt. It was Rukia who first sighed and turned to head back into the bar. "Come on, guys," She said softly. Ichigo turned and started shuffling after his wife.

Long after the married coupled had disappeared inside, Tatsuki still stood on the sidewalk with her hands buried in her jean pockets. She didn't want to go back inside, knowing that if she did she would probably be required to stay until the end of the party. But she didn't want to go home either; for the first time in her life, she found the idea of heading home to an empty apartment not very appealing. She was feeling extremely upset about everything that had happened that night and she didn't want to be alone; and for the first time, Tatsuki wished Renji was around.

* * *

The next morning, Uryuu's father died.


	12. Chapter 12: The City

Welcome back! I know this chapter has taken forever to be added, but I have an endless list of reasons for this: first, I had finals and they were killing me, second, holidays...you know? obligatory family time :-/ and finally...I had some difficulty writing this chapter. I'm not going to write a paragraph explaining this though, instead I'll point you to my new livejournal I am keeping mmagnoliastormlivejournalcom you can put in the proper dots :)There you can read my comments on the chapters and listen to the songs for each chapter. Don't forget to read and review!

* * *

**Chapter 12: The City**

The phone call came early the next morning, ringing obnoxiously loud and waking them up. Renji could hear that the phone was close to him and he blindly reached for the vibrating and screeching phone at the bedside table. He wasn't fast enough though, and the vibrating phone managed to walk itself over the table's ledge and land on the soft carpet. Renji growled with annoyance as he reached down and picked it up, eyes still closed and ready to fall back asleep.

"Hello?" Renji said with as much energy as a half asleep man could muster.

"Hello? …Renji?" Rukia asked, confused on the other line. "Where's Tatsuki? And why are you answering her phone at 7:00 AM?"

Renji handed the phone to a slowly waking Tatsuki before grabbing the comforter and throwing it over his head, burrowing back into hibernation. Tatsuki sat up in bed rubbing her sleepy eyes as she said, "Hello?"

"Hey Tatsuki, it's Rukia."

"Oh hey…what's up?" Tatsuki said as she slowly regained consciousness and became fully awake.

"Why was Renji….oh never mind that…Uryuu's father died."

Tatsuki's eyes widened in shock at the news. "No way…really? When?"

"Early this morning. They think around 5:00 AM," Rukia said somberly. "Ichigo's father called to let us know. I've been trying to get a hold of Orihime but she's not picking up her phone."

"She and Ulquiorra are probably still asleep," Tatsuki said, rubbing her forehead and frowning at the oncoming headache.

"Yeah and probably purposely not answering the phone after last night…" Rukia said sighing. "Well you know, if we still can't get a hold her by afternoon, one of us is going to have to swing by their love nest and tell her. She'd want to know." Tatsuki moaned with discontent.

"I'm guessing you're giving me that duty, huh?"

"I'm sorry; I know it's not a task anyone wants to do. Ichigo's father will be busy helping Uryuu prepare for the funeral, and Ichigo and I are going over to their place as soon as we can. There's a lot to do…"

"Poor Uryuu," Tatsuki said frowning. Her chest was aching at the memory of the broken man who had been screaming at his ex-girlfriend last night.

"I know…it's awful," Rukia said sniffling. She didn't want to admit that she'd been crying all morning; being pregnant magnified all of her emotions and the devastating news had pushed all the right buttons to make her cry despite her usual cool demeanor.

"Okay…well…I guess I'll try calling her in a bit and if I can't reach her by the afternoon, I'll stop by her apartment," Tatsuki said closing her eyes and trying not to imagine Uryuu as the solitary grieving man that he probably was at that moment. "Let me know if there's anything Renji and I can do, okay? Anything."

"Yes, of course I will," Rukia said, not missing the fact that Tatsuki had said 'Renji and I,' but now wasn't the time to be prying about that. "Talk to you later, Tatsuki."

"Okay, bye Rukia." Tatsuki placed her phone on her bedside table and took a loud deep breath.

"What's going on?" Renji asked from underneath his cocoon, his voice was muffled by layers of comforter and blankets.

"Ishida's father died," Tatsuki said sadly. She stared at her orange and green blankets still feeling shocked. It was amazing how death always seemed to come as a surprise even when you knew it was right around the corner. Renji pulled back the covers and propped himself up on his elbows as he watched Tatsuki, eyes wide and awake now.

"Woah…" He said, feeling his own shock now. "Man…poor guy…"

"Yeah…I know…" Tatsuki said quietly. Both of them sat in the bed silently for a while, each other them processing their own thoughts about the situation.

"Is there anything we…er…I can do?" He asked as he sat up in the bed and put a hand on her back.

"No. Rukia just asked if I could get a hold of Orihime and tell her about it. Apparently she isn't picking up her phone," Tatsuki said unable to meet Renji's gaze. She was slowly starting to feel sorrow seep into her body and was afraid that if she let Renji see her being vulnerable she wouldn't be able to stop the flood of tears.

"Man…" Renji said, staring off into space and absently rubbing Tatsuki's tank top clad back.

"God…I'll probably have to go over to her apartment or hunt them down somewhere in town. I don't even know where Ulquiorra is staying. What if they're sleeping at his place and I can't find her?" She said fretting and frowning.

"Well, they'll have to return to her place eventually…" Renji said thinking through all their options. "Maybe instead of waiting all morning and calling her over and over again, we should just go over there and tell her right away. It will probably save us a lot of time and anxiety."

Tatsuki looked up at him from her slouched position and couldn't help but give him a small smile. Renji was always a man of action, wanting to do stuff instead of just waiting around. Part of her was a little afraid of how comfortable she was getting with the word 'we.'

"You're suggesting we get the happy couple out of bed?" She said smirking.

"Why not? Someone else got us out of bed," He said grinning back at her.

"We're not out of bed yet…"

"That's true," Renji said, unable to stop himself from laughing as he tackled her back down onto the bed. He landed on top of her, pinning her with his body and holding her wrists down on either side of her head. She was everything in bed that she hid from the world: soft, warm, feminine, and playful. She was everything he had thought she'd be and more; and in that moment he forgot about Uryuu and his father's death, and all he could think about was how lucky he felt to be holding her.

"How much longer are we going to stay in bed?" She asked breathlessly, surprised with how good it felt to have the length of his hard body up against hers. She wore only a thin white tank top and dark blue panties, but he wore nothing and she couldn't help but feel a little guilty to be wanting him so badly in such a circumstance.

"As long as you want," he said as he bent down to kiss her.

* * *

Morning light spew through the hotel room's window blinds. Ulquiorra sat at the hotel room's desk, reading the morning newspaper and trying to ignore the discomfort of the carved mahogany-colored chair he was sitting in. After many futile attempts to work on his sorely overdue manuscript, he had given up and resigned himself to reading the _New York Times_ instead. He had tried to read the OpEd piece written by his colleague on the societal changes of religious philosophy, but grew frustrated and disgusted with the man's poor argument and lack of proper evidence. The steaming coffee in his mug was still too hot for his tongue, and for some reason that irritated Ulquiorra immensely. Orihime slept soundly on the hotel bed, and inevitably, his eyes wandered over to her sleeping form, lingering for a long moment before he forced himself to return to his newspaper.

He had found himself in the same predicament once again… Ulquiorra nervously cleared his throat and shifted around in his chair. He watched his sleeping angel as he debated his options. His plane would be taking off later that morning, and he knew he needed to leave soon. He'd have to get there at least forty-five minutes ahead of time in order to get through airport security and catch his flight. He should be leaving…and yet…he couldn't make himself go. Annoyed with himself now, Ulquiorra picked up the hotel phone on the desk and called for room service. He quickly ordered breakfast, thinking that eating would at least give him a reason to stay a little bit longer.

As he absently talked to the receptionist, Ulquiorra's eyes wandered over to Orihime's sleeping form once again; his gaze lingered on the luscious sight of her in slumber. She was a crumpled mess of white bed sheets, bright red hair, and slender ivory limbs. He knew she was completely naked underneath those sheets, that her skin would be warm and soft, and that she'd make soft noises and cuddle against him if he were to disturb her.

Ulquiorra hung up the phone and forced himself to return his gaze back to his newspaper once more. He picked up his cup of coffee and debated his choices again in his mind. He didn't want to wake her, but he needed to leave soon. Should he just leave a note again like he did last time? She didn't seem very pleased with him when he did that after the first night they had been together.

Leaving the morning after spending the night with a woman had never been difficult for Ulquiorra. Sex was usually a purely physical need that he satiated from time to time without any emotional strings attached. Ulquiorra always chose his mates carefully, avoiding women who waved red flags of emotional requirements or daddy issues. However, Orihime was different from all the other women he had known in his human life. He had known her uniqueness the very moment he saw her in the park that day.

Leaning back in his chair, Ulquiorra closed his eyes and sighed out loud with frustration. What was happening to him? He couldn't seem to pull himself away from her. Every time he was away from her, even if it was for just a moment, her seductive scent would linger in his mind…the memory of her soft smooth skin would burn in his hands, and the longing for her sweet smile and laughter tortured him to the point of pain. When she was in his arms, he felt dizzy with need and weak against the flood of emotions that washed over him. She was a dark abyss that he wanted desperately to jump into and disappear in forever. His chest ached at the thought of picking up his coat and leaving the hotel room right then.

The first time this had happened, he had felt the beginning symptoms but shrugged it off as an insubstantial human emotion that would pass on its own. But somehow, she had managed to bewitch him; she played with his mind, she disoriented everything he knew to be true, and she forced him to question all that he had worked so hard to build. Ulquiorra frowned, thinking hard about that first morning, trying to discern what had happened that had led him to where he was now.

_He woke up first to the bright sunshine of that morning. For a split second he felt a bit disoriented, his body instinctually telling him that something was different. After his eyes adjusted to the flood of yellow light in the hotel room, he saw her: peaceful, pink parted lips, thick golden curled eyelashes, an explosion of bright red hair stark against the white wrinkled sheets. Ulquiorra was lying on his side facing Orihime, while she slept on her side facing him. He watched her sleep for…it seemed like hours. _

_At first he felt bewildered; he could not believe he had managed to bed Orihime Inoue. His stomach burned at the thought of her in his arms last night. The memories of her soft moans and willing body brought out his lust, making him hard immediately. She lay before him in her perfect completeness, and he did not dare touch her. He felt anxious suddenly, worried that if he were to place one finger on her, she would disappear or he'd wake up from his dream. Had he really kissed those lips? Had she really allowed him to caress the curve of her cheek…the soft tresses of her hair…the graceful slope of her neck? Why did she let him? Why didn't she stop him? Why would someone like her ever want someone like him? He felt dirty and unworthy. She had let him in, and he drank every drop of her like a dying man in a desert; and he wanted more…_

_There were only a few inches between their bodies- neither of them touching the other, but that space was filled with tension and immediate regret. He stared at her…and stared at her…waiting for her to wake up and so he could look into those placid grey eyes…willing her to wake up so he could see her reaction. But she did not wake up, and he knew he had to leave. _

_As Ulquiorra started to get out of bed, propping himself up with an arm, he looked back down at Orihime. He felt it again…that stretching pain inside his chest…the same pain that he felt when he stood on the sidewalk that early morning and watched her car drive away. It felt as if someone had tied them together with some invisible rope, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not leave her. _

_It was time for him to leave though. His purpose for coming to this city had been fulfilled; he had received his award and met with necessary people. He had no other reason to stay in the city; if he were to stay any longer, he would inevitably run into her again somewhere on the streets. They had experienced enough random encounters to make him feel unsafe about venturing out into the city without the expectation of meeting her somewhere…if he stayed in the city, he would be forever holding his breath in anticipation of seeing her. Ulquiorra could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest, the pounding noise sounding like it was going to suddenly burst out of him. He couldn't just stay without a reason…he couldn't just stay for __**her**__._

_Ulquiorra sat up in the bed and rubbed his face with his hand, trying to clear his mind. He scanned the hotel room, assessing the evidence of their night together. Clothes were strewn everywhere randomly: a sock here, a shoe there, his discarded tuxedo jacket by the door, her dress in front of the dresser, a pair of lace panties next to the bed…God…! Ulquiorra's eyes widened as he remembered more details. He hadn't even thought to use a condom last night! And how many times did they have sex last night? He couldn't remember, but he knew it was more than once. He shut his eyes, his breathing quickening at the flood of memories; he helplessly gave into the memory of their first time, her legs wrapped around him, the way she screamed his name…Ulquiorra's mind was spinning! The second time…what happened…Ulquiorra swallowed hard as he remembered taking her from behind and then the sight of her on top of him. He could feel a panic coming on. She would wake any moment and he would have to answer to her. He had to leave, Ulquiorra decided, he would just have to deal with her later. _

_As he got dressed, Ulquiorra suddenly remembered something: the offer. The University had offered him a position as an Emeritus professor. Ulquiorra's mind worked quickly as he dressed himself. He had been avoiding the people at Cambridge for days. He had been hiding in his office at home, shades drawn, and manuscript unfinished. He could get away couldn't he? Ulquiorra thought as he finished getting dressed and slipped on his shoes. He could stay here…and of course he wouldn't be staying for her. He'd be staying for work. Yes, that's what he had to do, Ulquiorra thought as he reached for a pen and pad of paper. He'd have to move swiftly if he wanted to still take their offer. After he had scribbled his excuse for being absent, Ulquiorra paused…should he sign it? What would he put? Professor Schiffer? No, that sounded wrong, but just putting his first name felt a little too…private. His thoughts were disrupted by soft sigh coming from the bed. His green eyes snapped over to the sleeping beauty. He held his breath as he watched her roll over onto her back, but she did not wake up. After several seconds of confirming that she would not be suddenly catching him in the act of leaving, he thoughtlessly signed his first name and grabbed his wallet and keys and left the hotel room._

Ulquiorra's mind snapped out of remembering their first night together when he heard her sit up in bed. He watched as she pushed her hair out of her eyes. Suddenly he was holding his breath again…as he watched her bat her eyelashes as she woke up, he composed himself.

"Good morning," Ulquiorra said quietly. Orihime saw him sitting in the hotel room's corner, papers all over the desk, large cup of coffee in one hand and a newspaper in his other. "How are you feeling?" He asked gently.

Orihime was feeling the emotional hang over from the previously night. Her face felt achy from crying and her head felt stuffy and heavy. She was too warm underneath layers of sheets and blankets and sunlight streaming through the window was blinding her. Squinting against the brightness of the room, she slowly rubbed forehead and then yawned loudly.

"Mmm, like I hit my head on something…" She said in a grumpy voice. Ulquiorra put his coffee cup down and walked over to the bed. He sat down next to Orihime and reached up to feel her cheeks with the back of his hand. After he didn't feel a fever, he reached up and slowly stroked her hair with his fingers.

"Would you like some aspirin?" He asked thoughtfully, his voice low and soothing. Orihime sighed and leaned into his hand; it felt comforting and cool.

"Hmm…no, I guess not. It's not that bad," She said looking up into his green eyes; they were brilliant and beautiful in the morning light. "What have you been doing?" She asked, transfixed by his eyes.

"Just some work…I took the liberty of ordering us breakfast. It should be here in a bit…I…got you what you had the other day at the diner, I hope that's okay?" He said, gazing at her with a hesitant smile.

"That sounds wonderful, Ulquiorra." She smiled brightly at him and wrapped her bare arms around him in a tight hug. He was already dressed for the day in a crisp white collared shirt and a pair of black dress pants. He wore black socks but hadn't put on his shoes for the day. His shirt was only partly buttoned, the cuffs still undone. Orihime felt weird being completely naked next to a man who was completely dressed. In some odd way, she felt like she was incredibly vulnerable at that moment.

"Your phone has been ringing…I put it on silent because I thought you would want your sleep, but… your friends have been calling all morning," he said as he slowly rubbed the arms that were encircled around his neck; he loved the feel of her smooth soft skin underneath his hands. His green gaze took in the beautiful sight of her completely naked body. In the sunlight, her skin was milky-white with hints of gold. He suddenly felt overwhelmed with a need to kiss every inch of her skin. Since she still looked half asleep, he had to stave off his desires. Her eyes were still puffy from crying and she had a red nose from using too many rough hotel kleenexes. He leaned in her and gave her neck a slow kiss.

"Ugh, let it ring. I don't want to talk to them right now," Orihime said dismissively and wiggling her shoulder at his ticklish kiss.

"As you wish," He murmured, unable to stop himself from moving his kisses north to her ear, where he ran his teeth over her earlobe. Orihime giggled and tried to squirm away from him, but he grabbed her waist and pulled her back. Orihime sighed with pleasure as he continued to kiss her cheeks, chin, and forehead. Without her even noticing, he had managed to pull her completely onto his lap.

"Ulquiorra…" Orihime begged, "I need a shower. I'm all gross…"

"You smell delicious," he said, voice muffled as he placed kisses on the top of her head; he inhaled deeply, savoring her intoxicating scent.

"Ulquiorra…" She moaned, as she relented for a moment. One of his hands had moved south and was rubbing her hip and thigh, moving dangerously close to sensitive areas. His other hand's fingers were lightly caressing her stomach. She'd let him have her for a second and then cut loose from him when he least expected it. It was hard to remember this plan though since his hand had cupped one of her breasts. His thumb moved back and forth over a nipple and Orihime closed her eyes as her body flooded with lusty heat.

They were interrupted with loud knocks at their door. A muffled voice said, "Room service." Ulquiorra groaned with frustration and glared at the door. Orihime couldn't help but giggle at him. "You get it, I'm gonna go hop in the shower really quick. Thanks!" She gave him a sweet kiss on the cheek and then skipped across the room and disappeared into the bathroom.

Ulquiorra frowned, annoyed with himself for having such a weakness for her. Whenever she was near, he struggled to control himself, but his hands and lips always wanted more. Ulquiorra exhaled loudly, pushing away his desires before getting up and going to the door. He let in the room service lady, who pushed in a loud clanking cart of steaming food. After signing a bill and giving a tip, the woman disappeared and, Ulquiorra pushed the cart over to the desk. He had a brief moment of dejavu, but shook his head and cleared his mind.

As Orihime showered, he collected his papers into neat little piles, trying to make more room for their food. It wasn't long before Orihime reemerged from the bathroom, clad in a fluffy white hotel robe.

"That was indeed fast," Ulquiorra commented as he opened up the breakfast plates.

"Yeah, just wanted to a rinse off. I'll take a real shower when I get back to my place," She said as she pulled an extra chair over to the desk. "I'm famished!" She said staring at her plate of food with large hungry eyes. Ulquiorra suppressed a need to laugh at her; the woman was so strange about food. They ate in silence for a while, each of them lost in their own thoughts. Ulquiorra watched her carefully as a question slipped through his mind.

"Did…you want to talk about what happened last night?" He ventured hesitantly.

"Ugh! No." She said abruptly, surprising Ulquiorra. He didn't think she'd be so closed about the topic. Usually the woman was an open book with her emotions. She cried a lot last night when he drove her home. He hadn't been quite sure what to do with the hysterical woman, but eventually it turned out that she just wanted was to be held and to sleep. Part of him was glad that she didn't want to talk about it last night. He had never been good with providing comforting words. But now, for some reason, his mind could not let go of the curiosity.

"Okay," he said, as he attended to his breakfast. He tried to appear calm and collected, despite the mess of confusion and questions he had inside. Why didn't she want to explain it him? Did it concern him? Did she still have feelings for the glasses-wearing man? Was he missing some social cue? Did he do something to upset her? He thought he had been careful with her last night. As he processed his questions, he became increasingly frustrated. Without knowing it, Ulquiorra had started frowning.

"What are you thinking about?" Orihime asked with concern after she had noticed his frown.

He became annoyed. The woman didn't want to share her thoughts, but suddenly wanted him to share his? Ulquiorra looked up crossly at her, but when he saw her big innocent eyes his irritation melted away. He cleared his throat and straightened up in his chair, crossing a leg so he could rest a foot on one of his knees. He tried his best to recompose himself in such a manner that would not cause her to be suspicious of his true feelings. "Nothing," he said.

"…Uhm…okay…" She said giving him a questioning look as she returned to eating her scrambled eggs. To her delight, it had arrived exactly as she had wanted when she ordered it at the diner. From the corner of her eye, she saw her cell phone on the desk blinking. It lit up, indicating that someone was her. She picked it up and saw that it was Tatsuki calling.

"Why can't they just leave me alone," she muttered, turning the phone over so she couldn't see the light glowing.

Ulquiorra eyed her speculatively and then out of the blue asked, "Would you like to come to New York City with me?"

"Huh?" Her silver gaze snapped up and met his green eyes.

"I have to go meet my editor. She has been bothering me for months. It would be a short trip, but you could get away from your friends…" He said, watching her carefully for the slightest rejection. He didn't want to offend her with his offer. To his delight though, she cheered loudly like a little girl.

"Really? Are you serious? I WOULD LOVE TO!" She said as she jumped up and hugged him tightly.

* * *

Several hours later, Orihime was looking down through the plane's window as they took off into the sky. The excitement sparkling in Orihime's eyes was a stark contrast to the disdainful expression on Ulquiorra's face. Although the flight attendants had clearly announced several times that all seats should be in their upright position for take-off, Ulquiorra had managed to keep his seat lowered so he could start his usual in-flight nap. Orihime glanced at him and couldn't help but be amused with his grumpy mood. She reached over for his hand and laced their fingers together. He opened his eyes and he could look at her. She was nearly bouncing in her seat, eyes bright and lips curved in a big smile.

"Are you going to sleep during the entire flight?" She said, trying not to pout. He gave her hand a small squeeze and closed his eyes again.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because this is what I always do."

"Why?"

"Because I hate flying and I'd like to be unconscious until it is time to get off the plane."

"Don't you travel quite a bit?" She scowled.

"Yes."

"I find it odd that you should hate flying so much for someone who has to travel a lot."

"Another necessary evil in the life of a human." He waved a dismissing hand at her, as if to tell her that it was indeed nap time. He shifted in his seat trying to get comfortable. Orihime sighed, getting ready to give up and let him sleep for the duration of the flight. She reached for her magazine, shooting him an undetected disapproving look.

"I've never been to New York City before," she commented quietly as she flipped through her magazine's pages mindlessly. Ulquiorra slowly opened one of his eyes just a crack so he could see a fuzzy vision of her pouting.

"It's a nice city," he said plainly. Orihime glanced over at him, suddenly feeling optimistic about their flight. Maybe she could lure him into conversation after all. They had to have stuff to talk about right? It couldn't be sex all the time.

"Can you tell me about it?" she asked, slouching in her seat and resting her head on his shoulder.

"What would you like to know?" He replied, adjusting his position and shoulder to accommodate her head.

"I dunno…what's it like?"

"It's dirty, loud, crowded, and perpetually smells like urine."

"Really? What else?"

"Mmm…ahhh…" Ulquiorra thought for a while, his eyes still closed. "The city has a life of her own."

Orihime frowned, "What do you that mean? Like a person?"

"Yes. The city is always polite when you first meet her. But as time goes on, you realize that she's reluctant to let you in, and some people can find that very frustrating." He cleared his throat as he finally opened both eyes. He stared up at the ceiling of the aircraft thoughtfully for short pause before continuing. "Eventually you will find that, if you stay long enough, the city can be very difficult…hard…and even cold to you. She is unforgiving of weakness."

Orihime sat up in her chair as she listened to Ulquiorra speak. He did not meet her gaze but instead continued to stare up at the ceiling as if he were describing a distant relative or friend.

"So, you have to be tough to live in New York City?" Orihime asked trying to understand what he was saying. He cleared his throat again as he sat up and put his seat back up in its upright position.

"I wouldn't say quite that…" He said, folding his hands in his lap. His eyes were still heavy from the desire to nap. Trying to explain New York City to her was a difficult task. Artists and writers had been trying to do so ever since the city's birth, and Ulquiorra wasn't quite sure if he was doing a good job.

"Perhaps…perseverance? No…I suppose it's more like patience or acceptance? When I first moved to New York, I thought I could faintly feel the city's reiatsu even though I knew I had been stripped of that power." He finally looked at her; his green eyes looked alert, thoughtful, and honest.

"But for some reason…" He continued, lowering his voice as if not wanting anyone near to hear what he was going to say. "I still felt like I could feel the city's spirit…and I kept feeling like she was rejecting me…that she didn't want me."

"What did you do?" Orihime unconsciously mirrored Ulquiorra and lowered her voice to a whisper.

"I could not do anything. I did not want to leave the institution I was attending, and so I just stayed and thought the city's contempt for me was another form of the punishment of being a human."

"Hmm…" Orihime absently mused as she tried to picture this city that Ulquiorra was describing. "It sounds like it was a tenuous relationship…" She observed.

"For a while…but I think I was right when I said it might take patience and acceptance. The city is beautiful, in all of her flaws and inconsistencies. You could come to love her very much," he said softly as he met her silver gaze with a small smile. She met his stare and they regarded each other quietly for a moment.

"It sounds like a pretty amazing place to live," Orihime said, breaking the silence. She absently played with the corners of the pages of her magazine.

"Yes," he said.

"Hmmm…" She mused, turning to look out the window at the misty clouds. She was having a hard time understanding Ulquiorra's experience of living in New York City. Most of Ulquiorra's human life had happened without her. She would never really know what he was like in college or graduate school. She would never know how he became the sophisticated and mature scholar that he was today. Sure…he could, in time, share pieces of his history with her. Eventually she would be able to put together an image of what his life had been before her. But she would never really know all the tacit details of Ulquiorra's human life. As she watched Ulquiorra from the corner of her eye, she felt a large empty ache in her chest. Orihime wished she could have been a part of his life up until now. She wanted so badly to know and understand him, but she feared that she would never be able to.

* * *

"Well that was a major fail," Renji muttered as he walked across the white sidewalk with Tatsuki in tow. He stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket, shivering at the bitter cold. Soft snowflakes fell like dancing fairies around them, covering the pavement with a thin coat of white.

"I don't know where she could be…" Tatsuki said exasperated. They had just left Orihime's apartment building for the second time that day. After knocking and waiting for what seemed like forever, no one came to answer the door. They had already visited her apartment earlier that morning. When they didn't find anyone home, they went to Orihime's office at St. Luke's; but no one had seen Orihime there either.

"Well you were probably right about her being with Ulquiorra, wherever he's staying in town," Renji said with a sigh. When they reached Tatsuki's car, Renji automatically opened the driver's side door and sat down in the car seat. Tatsuki scowled at him for getting to the driver's seat first, but didn't say anything as she walked around the car, opening the door and plopping down into the passenger seat.

"What do you think we should do?" Tatsuki asked as Renji started the car. The engine hummed and growled loudly, protesting against the cold weather.

"Ah…I mean…we have several options," Renji said thoughtfully, steering the car out of its parking spot and onto the street. "We could give up and call Rukia and tell her we've been unsuccessful, or we could call the University and inquire about Ulquiorra's residence- but, I'm not sure about that. I mean, they may not even know where he's staying…We could even call Uryuu…who knows? Maybe she's contacted him or vice versa?"

"No."

"You never know, maybe they've already reconciled by now?"

"No…" Tatsuki sighed. "Rukia would have told us by now."

"Well there's the University…"

"Yeah, maybe they have a phone number or something that we could use to contact him," Tatsuki suggested as she pulled off her wool mittens.

"Possibly," Renji muttered as he drove. After a long quiet pause between the two friends, Renji finally sighed loudly. "Alright, fuck it. Let's just go to the University and ask if they know how we could find or contact Ulquiorra. Seriously though, this is getting a bit ridiculous."

"I know!" Tatsuki said with wide eyes. "How can she just disappear off the face of the earth like this? This isn't like her at all. The Orihime who was my best friend was kind, patient, and forgiving. This Orihime is flaky, selfish, and mean."

"That's a bit harsh, don't you think?" Renji asked raising an eyebrow at her. Tatsuki exhaled loudly, blowing her dark bangs out of her eyes.

"Yes, it is...ugh. That was incredibly judgmental and unfair of me to say." She frowned, disappointed at herself. Renji reached over and placed a hand on her knee and gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," he said. "We'll find her eventually." Tatsuki couldn't help but give him a small smile back.

"I really hope so."

* * *

It was almost dusk when they finally landed at La Guardia Airport. It felt like a whirlwind of an adventure. New York City was more fast-paced, exciting, and overwhelming than Orihime had ever imagined. She was crushed and shoved by crowds and rudely yelled at when she stepped in front of yellow cab. In the center of the chaos, Ulquiorra always remained calm and unfazed by their environment.

"It comes from living here for a while," he commented, sounding like he was bored by all the commotion around him. "Eventually, nothing surprises you anymore."

A long cab ride brought them to the Upper West Side, where they dropped by an apartment that belonged to one of Ulquiorra's colleagues. Ulquiorra explained that his colleague was on sabbatical and the apartment had been offered as a place to stay whenever Ulquiorra was in the city. They settled in for while, freshening up and changing their clothes. The apartment was a small and old studio, with crumbling drywall, and creaky stained hardwood floors, but it had a grand fireplace that was almost as tall as Orihime. "Now this is a real fireplace!" Orihime cheered with approval as she placed a hand on the mantle and peaked inside fireplace. The walls of the studio were lined with full bookshelves and large pieces of abstract art. Apparently Ulquiorra's colleague had been a big fan of Pollack and Rothko.

"You should put on something nice," Ulquiorra said absently as he unpacked.

"How come?" Orihime asked, quickly assessing what little she had brought.

"There's a place I'd like to take you for dinner," Ulquiorra replied. Orihime froze in place next to the bed, where her open suitcase sat. Staring down at the pair of jeans she held in her hands, she frowned with concern. She hadn't brought anything nice enough for a fancy dinner place. What would she wear?

"Don't look so worried. You always look good." Ulquiorra said reaching for a clean and crisp white shirt.

"Easy for a man to say," Orihime muttered as she began to dig through her suitcase. From the corner of her eye, she noticed him buttoning up his shirt and then pulling out a tie from his suitcase. She watched him tie a perfect Windsor knot before she couldn't resist him any longer. She walked up to him and straightened his red tie for him and grinned.

"You always look so sharp and professorly. I love it. It makes you look even more handsome than you already are," she said, standing up on her tip toes to give him a short kiss. His arms came around her, pulling her against him in a warm embrace. It felt so good being pressed up against his hard masculine form. He lowered his head and brought his lips over to her ear.

"You know what?" He whispered, his breath tickling her.

"Hmm?" She answered, feeling dreamy and so in love with him.

"I thought you were incredibly sexy in your doctor outfit when I first saw you…"

She giggled and pulled away from him, knowing that they were headed for dangerous territory. "The first time you saw me I was in my high school uniform…" she pointed out.

"That was also sexy," he said in his usual deadpan manner, which Orihime had come to understand was his way of teasing her.

He took her to dinner at a restaurant called Kittichai in the 60 Thompson Hotel in Soho. The cuteness of the restaurant's name did not come close to describing its elegant and opulent beauty. In a simple black dress with dark leggings and boots, Orihime felt incredibly out of place. The women around her wore cocktail dresses and high heeled trendy shoes, and seemed to blend right into the environment. The dark main dinner room was lit with an array of brilliant colors: pink, orange, red, and purple. The walls were lined with shelves, where glass cylinders of water held Orchids captive. A multitude of votive candles added to the warm glow of the restaurant. The restaurant had a waterfall fountain in the center of the main dining room, where candles and rose petals floated peacefully. There were bamboo screens that provided privacy for each dinner table, and decorative carved wooden walls that gave patrons the impression that they were inside a holy temple. Other walls where flanked with orange taffeta curtains that reached from the ceiling to the floor. The food was decadent, exotic, and rich in flavor. Ulquiorra explained that Kittichai was supposed to be a Thai restaurant; however there was too much of a French and American Nouveau influence to make the food truly authentic. Orihime didn't know what that meant, but she still enjoyed the food even though she normally preferred other flavor combinations.

After dinner, they took a cab north to the Upper East Side where they met some of Ulquiorra's old friends for drinks at a bar called the Auction House. The Auction House, in stark contrast to the previous restaurant, was cozy with its brick walls, down-to-earth patrons clad in jeans and plaid shirts, and lack fancy cocktail menus. However, the Auction House was still a far cry from Chad's bar. It shared Kittichai's atmosphere of lavishness and self-importance with its lush red velvet curtains, grand life-size Renaissance paintings of naked Gods, and its turn of the century chaise lounges. Feeling exhausted from a long day of travel and being in a new city, a crabby Orihime would have described the place as pretentious if anyone were to ask her about it.

Orihime was shocked that Ulquiorra was so casual about introducing her to his old friends− although he didn't call them friends. Orihime had learned that Ulquiorra called all his acquaintances 'colleagues' regardless of the nature of the relationship. Orihime could tell from the way they joked and the tales that they told of Ulquiorra's younger days that they were more than just colleagues. There was Salvadore, a Brazilian writer who was apparently named after the former Communist leader Salvadore Allende of Chile. Then there was Henri, an American professor of public affairs, who was incredibly proud to explain to Orihime that he should have gotten more credit for his contribution to Jeffrey Sach's _The End of Poverty_. And finally there was Evan, another American professor, who studied of English literature and commiserated with Ulquiorra about an unfinished manuscript. Orihime chastised herself after she met his friends− of course he had friends! Why wouldn't he have friends? He was a human being when he attended high school, and by the time he got to college he had to have become familiar with interacting and forming normal relationships with people.

They all had amused looks on their faces when Ulquiorra introduced her to them as his 'friend' (to Orihime's disappointment), but were otherwise nothing but polite. Ulquiorra complained to his friends about the manuscript he was working on and the disagreements he had with his fellow faculty members at Cambridge; and they, in return, shared stories of the successes and failures of their fabulous lives. At first, it was fascinating for Orihime to see Ulquiorra relaxed, comfortable, and familiar with these men. When the men laughed heartily about something, Ulquiorra would smirk and offer a witty and sarcastic comment. When the men teased him about something, he merely raised an eyebrow and fired back a retort. When they asked him a question or his opinion on something, he gave genuine thoughtful answers. But as the night wore on, Orihime became bored when none of the men seemed interested in including her in their conversations. They didn't ask her anything about who she was or what she did for a living, and they pretended to not hear her when she would try to say something. By the end of the night, Orihime was no longer bored but annoyed and growing increasingly resentful of scotch and its influence on the men in her life.

During the cab ride home, Orihime sat quietly as Ulquiorra talked rapidly about all the places he wanted to take her tomorrow; there was the rustic but posh Italian restaurant in the Meatpacking district that had a gorgeous indoor skylight covered patio with _real_ plants (apparently living and growing plants were a big deal in Manhattan), the sexy and cavernous Moroccan restaurant with a hidden entry way underground, oh…and of course they were going to meet up with his friends later at a French-Vietnamese restaurant in the Lower East Side for poetry and martinis. Ulquiorra's version of excited drunkenness, no matter how inert or reserved it was, seemed to make him oblivious to his girlfriend's disinterested silence. He held her hand in both of his as he chattered away and Orihime stared out the window. The truth was that Orihime was incredibly jealous of Ulquiorra's friends. She had never seen him be so verbose, so casual, so involved. She had been embarrassed that she knew so little about him, and they clearly knew so much.

Back at their borrowed residence, Orihime listlessly stood in the brightly lit hallway as Ulquiorra fumbled for the keys. When he finally managed to open the door, he held it open for Orihime to step inside first. Orihime noticed he had an odd look in his eyes, but she ignored it and gave him a forced smile as she walked into the complete darkness of the apartment. He followed her, after having difficulty pulling the key out of its lock, and shut the door loudly behind him. The change in lighting made Orihime temporarily blind as her eyes adjusted from the hallway's brightness to the apartment's darkness. She turned around and was about to tell Ulquiorra that she wanted to take a shower, but her breath was taken away when he abruptly forcefully grabbed her, pulling her close to him and then pushing her back up against the door. Before she could protest, he pressed himself up against her and caught her lips in a hard kiss.

His hands gripped her upper arms, holding her in place as his sloppy kiss plundered her mouth. She struggled against him, trying to get his hands off of her but his fingers only dug deeper into her skin. The pain of his grip was familiar− it was the same way Uryuu had held her when he screamed at her the other night. She twisted her mouth away from his kiss and started to say, "Ulquiorra…stop."

He ignored her, moving his mouth down her neck and rocking his hips against her. She sighed with unwanted pleasure as his tongue found all her vulnerable places. "Ulquiorra, please….I'm tired," she managed to beg. His breathing was fast and heavy, as he continued to ignore her. One of his hands released her arm and moved to pull her dress down. She had worn a jersey black dress that hugged her body. The dress had no zipper or buttons, and the only way to get it on and off was to rely on its stretchiness. Originally, she had thought it'd be perfect for their night out on the town since it left little to the imagination, but now she lamented her choice.

He pushed the top of the dress down, revealing a bare breast that he immediately grabbed and squeezed. He moved his mouth back to hers, pressing hard kisses against her lips and biting down on her lower lip until it hurt. She gasped from the pain and began to struggle against him even more, pushing his hand away from her breast. As his tongue found hers though, her gasps from pain turned into breathless moans of pleasure. He finally released her mouth, breathing heavily as he leaned his forehead against hers and paused.

"Ulquiorra, I just want to sleep…" Orihime pleaded as she took the opportunity to get out of his arms. He immediate grabbed her waist and forced her back to him. "God, you taste good," he murmured as he ignored her request and started kissing her hard again. He pinned her against the door with his knee, pressing his hard arousal against her lower belly. Orihime sagged against the door, giving up the fight momentarily. She passively took on his rough kisses without noticing that he had managed to push the top of her dress down to her rib cage, her breasts now at the mercy of his tight grip. When he moved down to kiss her chest, his grip loosened for a moment. Without hesitation, Orihime grabbed his shoulders and shoved him away from her with all her strength.

He stumbled backward, losing his balance for a moment. She quickly ran away from him over to the opposite side of the bed that was in the center of the studio. Her ankle slipped sideways as she scrambled, toppling down from the heeled shoes she was wearing. She reached down and pulled off the dangerous shoes, but the distraction had prevented her from noticing Ulquiorra. He marched over to her, undressing as he moved, and grabbed her arms by her elbows, pulling her up against him. "Orihime," he said in a dark and growling voice.

"Stop it," she said, fighting to get out of his grip.

He held onto her tighter and yelled, "Orihime! Look at me." She stopped her struggle temporarily and looked up at him. She was breathing heavily from her futile efforts, but she stared helplessly into his eyes. The moonlight that streamed through the nearby window made them look different; they were severe, carnal, and colorless. Gone were his usual brilliant green eyes− in the light of the room, his eyes were black as night, and suddenly Orihime was filled with fear.

Unexpectedly, Ulquiorra shoved her sideways onto the bed. Within the blink of any eye, he was on top of her. His hands gripped her wrists, holding her hands down on either side of her head as he leaned over and began to assault her bare shoulder with hard kisses and piercing bites that would surely be red tomorrow. His knees lay on either side of her thighs, preventing her from trying to get up. Orihime wasn't deterred though as her legs kicked and thrashed for freedom. "Stop it" She cried. It seemed impossible to get her wrists out of his iron grip.

When his lips found their way down to her breasts, she let out a loud gasp of pleasure as her body hummed with approval of his touch. She squirmed, not sure if she was trying to escape now or trying to press herself up against him. While the strength of his arms and legs were overpowering, his tongue was slow and gentle as they licked her nipple over and over again before taking it entirely into his mouth. He held her nipple between teasing teeth as his tongue ran over its peak. Orihime released a sigh of pleasure, hating herself for being so weak against him. He groaned in return, letting go of her wrists now that he was sure she wouldn't try to escape.

As he moved over to her other nipple, Orihime's arms fell down helplessly over his shoulders. Her fingernails scraped his back and gripped his hair as he diligently attended to her breasts. His hands molded, squeezed, and caressed her into submission. Orihime soon found herself trying to rub herself up against his hard arousal. Cries of mixed pleasure and despair came out of her mouth as he continued to lapping her breasts with his tongue as he pulled her dresses down. His mouth followed the trail of her dress, moving down the center of her ribcage and then over the soft smooth skin of her belly. When he pulled the dress over hips, he dragged her panties with it, finally stripping everything off her body.

Without any delay, he grabbed her knees and forced her legs apart. She relented, hands lying uselessly on the bed as his head lowered. The first touch of his tongue against her already wet ache caused her to release a loud cry of bliss. Her hands moved with a life of their own over his dark locks, gripping his hair like it would save her life. Her body was shot with arrows of fire as he licked her slick folds, drinking her like he could not get enough.

His lips worked rapidly until she could no longer stop her legs from trembling and every muscle in her body was strung as tight as possible. He heard her pleading him, calling his name, begging for him. But it wasn't enough. Ulquiorra moved, shifting so she could wrap her milky white legs around his waist. His heart was pounding so hard, he feared his chest could not contain it. A monster had been released. Desperation reached his mind as he rested his forehead on her shoulder, his breath shuddering. Her soft moans were intoxicating, and he felt the full force of her drug flowing through his veins.

He lifted himself and tore at his remaining clothes until he was naked as she was, before fitting his body over hers. She continued rubbing and squeezing her thighs against his hips, but the noises coming from her mouth sounding like cries of distress more so than joy. Through veiled eyes, he saw the tears coming down her face but ignored them. There was blinding pressure pumping through his blood propelled by anger and drunken power. He hated her. He hated the power she had over him. He hated how she drove him to be this weak, to be so uncontrolled and wretched that he could not stop himself from having her like this. He gripped her wrists with cruelty once more, pushing her arms back to their submissive positions as he leaned in and ruthlessly bit her neck. This time, his bite elicited a true cry of pain from her, but he couldn't stop the monster in him who smirked and seemed to enjoy it. His mouth had a life of its own as he taunted her. "Say that you like it," his voice was hot against her skin. "Say that you want it," he demanded as he licked her wound. "Say you want me."

She shook her head, swallowing hard and trying to hold back her humiliating tears. "No."

"Say it!" His hoarse beastlike voice demanded. Orihime closed her eyes and saw flashes of light. The words echoed in her mind. She had heard it before. _Say it. Why does your mind and body exist? _"Say it!" His cruel voice echoed. _For what reason does your mind and body exist? Say it! _"Say that you want me," his voice returned to its low whisper, as he crushed his hips against hers, his hard penis sliding against her wet and willing center. She continued to shake her head in refusal. She was denying him. She didn't want him. He stopped moving.

"Say you want me, Orihime," He said again, this time with the controlled and calm tenor she was familiar with. _Say it._ The words spun around in her head, confusing her. In the dark, his vision blurred and he wasn't sure if it was because his eyes wanted to release tears or because he was going completely mad. "Please, say that you want me Orihime…" his broken voice whispered. They were silent for what seemed like hours, both of them frozen in place. Finally, his grip on her wrists loosened as his hands began to shake. His throat felt tight, like someone was strangling him and he couldn't breathe. He was ready to let her go when she reached up and held his face with the lightest touch of her hands. In the dark, she met his eyes and said softly, "I want you, Ulquiorra."

He felt his lungs fill with air and suddenly his mind cleared. She still wanted him. She still wanted him. He froze for a moment trying to process it, and then he felt his chest collapsed on him again. As he bent down to kiss her, he entered her in one long slow stroke. Her arms came around him, holding him, fingers gently stroking over his hair. But she felt empty inside as he pumped himself into her. When he finished, rolled off her, and fell quickly into a deep sleep, she lay motionless as a final tear rolled down her cheek.

* * *

The next morning was awkward. Neither of them spoke or could look each other in the eyes as they got ready for the day. The morning was silent. They got dressed as if each of them were the only person in the room. Ulquiorra had already explained the previous day that his meeting was early and that they would have to go to his publisher's office before doing anything fun. When they left the apartment and stepped outside into the greyness of New York, they still hadn't said a word to each other. Orihime listlessly followed Ulquiorra down the street. She stood behind him as he stopped at a food and newspaper stand on the sidewalk and ordered coffee and a bagel. He turned around and finally met her translucent grey eyes, without saying anything. Orihime knew that he was waiting for her give her order. She felt pressed to make a decision and since she hadn't had time to look at the menu, she muttered that she would just have whatever Ulquiorra ordered. The vendor had a hard time hearing her quiet voice amongst the loud bustle of morning rush hour.

"Speak up, sweetheart!" The man barked at her with a strong New York accent. Orihime was grumpy and did not appreciate being yelled at and so she merely glared at him with steel eyes.

"She will have the same as me," Ulquiorra interrupted. The man made a loud, "hmph!" noise before turning around to fetch their breakfast.

After they received their order, Ulquiorra walked swiftly down the sidewalk toward a corner where he could hail a cab. Orihime had a hard time following him, trying to hold onto her bagel and coffee AND dodge New Yorkers who moved through the streets like bullets. "Could you slow down, please?" She said irritably through gritted teeth.

"I'm late," he stated plainly, without turning back to acknowledge her or slowing down for her to catch up. Orihime was ready to throw her flimsy cup of coffee at him when she saw him wave down a cab. He opened the door of the cab and waited patiently for her to reach them. She got into the car without saying anything else to him.

An hour later, Orihime sat in a waiting room bored out of her mind as she flipped through a magazine that claimed to know 50 different types of orgasms. Ulquiorra was inside his editor's office, and despite the closed door, Orihime could hear the woman shouting angrily at Ulquiorra. Orihime scoffed. She knew that Ulquiorra was probably pissing her off even more with his refusal to engage in a full on shouting match. Suddenly the door burst open and Ulquiorra calmly walked out.

"You think about where the next check for your meals is coming from!" The editor threatened.

"Yes, ma'am," Ulquiorra serenely replied. "Let's go," he commanded as he waited for Orihime to get up. She was just about to ask him what had happened when they were disrupted by a woman in an ill-fitting blue suit.

"Excuse, Professor Schiffer?"

"Yes?" Ulquiorra said, his voice finally revealing the slightest hint of annoyance.

"I've got a call for you and your girlfriend on line two…"

Orihime frowned. "Who on earth would be calling me here?" She exclaimed as she followed the woman over to the receptionist's desk. Ulquiorra followed with a curious frown. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his coat as he waited for Orihime to take the call. He was feeling incredibly antsy and wanted to get moving as soon as possible. Things had gone horribly with Orihime last night, and he had no idea how to address it except to ignore it. Oddly enough, ignoring it wasn't making the situation any easier since she too was disregarding him. He actually wished he could be free of her for just a morning or afternoon so he could collect his thoughts. That morning when she woke up and sat on the bed, Ulquiorra had still been pretending to sleep so he could avoid her confronting her. He couldn't stop himself though and snuck a peak at her from underneath his eyelashes. He could only see her back, but she was covered in bruises, bite marks, and hickeys. He felt sick to his stomach, like he needed to throw up, like his insides had turned to complete mush. He was disgusted and angry with himself.

"Ulquiorra…" Her soft voice brought him out of his rumination. His chest tightened when he saw her pale face and haunted tear-filled eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he moved swiftly to her side, wanting to comfort her. Orihime let him to wrap an arm around as her voice wavered and she barely managed to whisper:

"I have to go home. Uryuu's father died."

* * *

R&R guys! Thanks!


	13. Chapter 13: The Wake

**Chapter 13: The Wake**

_When she woke up from noticing the absence of her husband in their bed, she got up and followed the glow of light that came from the kitchen down the hall. It was a dark winter morning, early enough that the sun hadn't risen yet. Ichigo sat at the dining room table underneath the spotlight of the overhead chandelier. His shoulders were hunched over, elbows resting on the table with a cup of steaming coffee in his hands._

"_Ichigo," Rukia said softly as she approached him. He looked up at her with heart-aching brown eyes, and immediately Rukia knew something wasn't right. _

_"What's wrong?" She asked, placing a hand on his shoulder._

"_Dad just called," he said inhaling deeply, trying to find some way of clearing his mind. He was still in shock, processing the news and its implications. "Uryuu's father died." _

_Rukia drew a quick breath, holding it for a second as she took in the distressing news. She rubbed her husband shoulder, trying to reassure him in her own quiet way. She pulled up a chair and sat down next to him. _

_"I'm sorry, Ichigo," she whispered as she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder._

"_Why are you apologizing to me?" Ichigo raised his eyebrows as he looked down at her. "I'm not the one who's just lost his father."_

"_Uryuu's not the only one who will be grieving, Ichigo," she explained patiently. "You've known Ryuuken for most of your life, even if you weren't close with him. We all have a right to feel sad about this." Rukia paused, watching her husband for a reaction before she asked, "What did your dad say you should do?"_

"_Oh…he said that we should probably stop by Uryuu's house and make sure he's okay. We're supposed to take him to the funeral home so we can meet up with my dad," Ichigo sighed. "But I don't know…I don't think Uryuu would appreciate being babysat right now."_

"_Not everyone prefers to deal with pain alone," Rukia pointed out, her dark blue eyes meeting his chocolate brown ones._

"_Well, in all the time that I've known Uryuu, he's always dealt with things on his own."_

"_At the very least we could offer our support…and if he'd prefer to be alone, then we can give him his privacy," Rukia said. Ichigo paused and stared at his wife. Her face looked calm, but her eyes betrayed her own quiet grief. He took her hand down from her half embrace and held her hand in his. He gave her small delicate hands a reassuring squeeze. _

"_How did I get such a wise wife?" He wondered aloud as he reached up and touched her cheek. She sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head into his hand. _

"_I know very little," she said somberly._

* * *

Ichigo held his wife's hand as they walked up the steep concrete stairs leading to the Ishida house's front door. A strange chill in the air told the married couple that a storm was on its way. They stepped carefully as they moved up towards the entrance, making sure to step over patches of ice and snow. As they approached the door, the tight feeling in Ichigo's throat seemed grow and grow. By the time they stepped in front of the door and Rukia raised her hand to press the doorbell, Ichigo felt like he couldn't breathe. He reached up and snatched his wife's hand. She looked up at him with alarm.

"What's the deal?" She asked.

"Uh…" Ichigo searched frantically for an explanation, looking around him and then down to the ground hoping a distraction would pop up on its own. He finally settled on the lamest excuse possible for stalling. "…How's my tie? Do I look alright?" Ichigo asked breathlessly.

"…Yeah, you look fine. Your tie doesn't need straightening," Rukia replied, wondering what her crazy husband was up to. He wore a buttoned dark grey wool peacoat over a white dress shirt with a red tie. Rukia had managed to convince Ichigo to dress up for the occasion, making him also put on a pair of grey dress pants and a pair of men's black shiny dress shoes.

"How's my hair, is it a little too spiky?"

Rukia frowned.

"It's fine," she said as she read for the doorbell once more. Ichigo grabbed her hand again, eliciting a look of death from his wife's violet eyes.

"WHAT is the deal, Ichigo?"

Ichigo looked down from his wife's cross glare at his shiny shoes. He fumbled with the bottom of his tie, shifting back and forth anxiously.

"Ichigo, what's wrong?" Rukia asked once more, this time softening her voice. Ichigo coughed, clearing his throat, and finally confessed what was bothering him.

"I don't know how…er…I don't know how to do this. What am I supposed to say when I see Ishida?" Ichigo said, knitting his brows together, his brown eyes begging for more reassurance than advice. Rukia sighed, looking away at the snow covered tree tops. The house was built so high on rocks that the house itself stood higher than the trees below them. Standing at the front door gave her a wide view of the entire surrounding countryside. The looming dark clouds seemed to go on forever, making Rukia feel smaller than she had ever felt. Taking a deep breath, she finally looked up at Ichigo.

"Just say whatever's in your heart, Ichigo," Rukia muttered as she lifted her hand once more and rang the door bell. A short moment later after the sound of some thumping, Uryuu opened the door and greeted them with a broad smile, "Good morning, guys!"

Ichigo and Rukia stared at Uryuu with wide eyes of shock. Uryuu stood before them with his usual white dress shirt, but it wasn't buttoned up and tucked in. There was no tie at the collar and he didn't wear a jacket or blazer. He wore simple dark blue pants with a dirty old apron covered in some kind of white powder. When neither of his guests said anything Uryuu stepped aside to let them in. "Come on in."

Silently, Ichigo and Rukia walked into Uryuu's house trying to keep their jaws from opening in shock. They followed Uryuu down the foyer into the living room where they saw Isshin standing and talking in a low voice to another man in a dark suit.

"There's my favorite daughter-in-law," Isshin said putting on a grin when he turned around and saw them. On any other day, he would have shouted his salutation jovially, but on that morning a grin was all he could muster. He walked over and met his son and daughter-in-law at the living room entrance. "How's my grandson doing?" He asked giving Rukia a hug.

"I'm your only daughter-in-law," Rukia murmured as she gave Isshin a half hug with one of her arms. She had never quite grown accustomed to how physically affectionate Isshin was. "And the baby's doing fine."

"Hi dad," Ichigo said, pointing out his presence.

"Ah, my idiot son, good to see you." Isshin said, patting his son on the back and offering him a small your-dad's-taking-care-things smile. His gaze snapped over to Uryuu, who stepped up from behind Ichigo. "Uryuu, Ron here needs your signature on a few papers."

"Okay, no problem. Can I do it after I finish making the pancakes?" Uryuu said as he gave Ichigo a pat on his other shoulder and then casually walked away from the crowd toward the kitchen. Ichigo and Rukia gave Isshin large questioning eyes. After a moment of silence, with a hand still on Ichigo's shoulder, Isshin pushed his son and daughter-in-law toward the wide French doors that led outside to a snow covered patio. Ichigo and Rukia followed Isshin's lead without protest. He opened the door and shoved his son outside while letting his daughter-in-law walk herself out into the cold, before closing the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Ichigo erupted, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Shhh!" Isshin snapped.

"What? We're outside, he can't hear us," Ichigo said indignantly as he shoved his cold fingers into his coat pockets.

"You don't know that," Isshin said, putting on his serious face. "Now, we're all going to have to be very careful today."

"Is Uryuu okay?" Rukia asked with a worried frown.

"He's probably in shock. He'll be acting weird, so just…try not to react too much to it."

"Weird? Are you kidding me? He was grinning! Uryuu never grins…AND he was making pancakes, since when does he make pancakes?" Ichigo rambled.

"Well apparently the Uryuu in bereavement makes pancakes," Isshin pointed out, shooting his son an annoyed look. It appeared his son would never develop a sense of reverence. "What I need you guys to do is try to politely encourage him to do what little funeral planning is left. Be discreet about it though."

"Why?" Ichigo asked.

"Because he's refused to do anything to acknowledge that his father has passed away. We're just lucky that Ryuuken outlined exactly what he wanted before he died. The pre-arrangements for the funeral are all set, so I'm trying to get all the things done that were on that list. But you know…it would be nice to have something more…personal at the funeral…" When his kids stared blankly at him without comprehension, Isshin sighed and said, "It would be nice if you could get Uryuu to write something meaningful to say about his father at the service."

"How are we supposed to do that?" Ichigo asked.

"I don't know! You've got a brain, boy, use it. You two have known each other since you were practically babies− you should be able to figure something out," Isshin replied. He mimicked Ichigo's stance and stuck his hands into the pockets. He wore a full pin-striped suit, complete with a white collared shirt and red tie. Ichigo was silently happy he didn't bring a jacket to go with his outfit, otherwise he and his dad would be dressed like twins.

"Is there anything else we can do?" Rukia asked softly. Isshin glanced down at his daughter-in-law and gave her a small smile.

"Just be there for him. He's taking this real hard. There may be some things, like getting him to sign those papers the funeral home people sent over that you could try to get him to do," Isshin took a deep breath and reached inside his jacket, procuring a big brown cigar. He bit down on the end of it and then spat the cigar's tip over the patio. It disappeared into a mess of green and brown trees.

"I'm sure there will be other things that only he can do for the funeral. If anything comes up, I'll let you guys know and you can try to get him moving on it. So far, he doesn't seem to want to decide when to have the funeral. That's a big one. I mean, I supposed we could just decide on a time based on whatever the funeral home has available, but I don't want to presume anything," Isshin said with a shrug. He magically found a lighter in his pant pocket and lit his cigar. Taking a long drag from the cigar, he released puffy clouds of smoke out into the cold air and stared off into the horizon. For a moment it seemed like his mind had wandered off somewhere.

"We'll do everything we can…" Rukia said, feeling a great sorrow overcome her while she watched Isshin. She could see that he was also grieving but wasn't showing it. There were lines around his eyes, his nose, his forehead− wrinkles that told the world of his grief better than his words ever could.

"Yuzu has taken charge of some of the other stuff, like food for guests and whatever," Isshin explained as he opened the patio doors, letting a rush of cold air into the living room. Ichigo and Rukia nodded silently. "So if anything comes up about food, just talk to her. There will probably be a mass of flowers arriving, so just do something about that, oh and will you find that little red-head? He's been asking about her." Isshin gave them one last meaningful smile before he disappeared inside.

They stood on the patio, shivering in the winter cold and unable to move their legs for a moment. Finally Rukia and Ichigo looked at each other and then released a sigh in unison as they made their way into the house.

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Rukia asked, relishing the warmth of the living room.

"He's one of my best friends…I should be able to do this right? I should be able to talk to him," Ichigo said, pulling out a hand from his pocket and running it through his bright hair. "I feel like if this were anyone else…Chad…or Kiego…I wouldn't have a problem doing it."

"I can talk to him, Ichigo. It's alright," Rukia said taking Ichigo's hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. She could practically feel the anxiety vibrating off of Ichigo's skin. "Truthfully, I think none of us really know how to talk to him right now…except Orihime…"

"Ugh! Her! And Ulquiorra! How's that gonna go down?" Ichigo said, suddenly remembering last night's events.

"I don't know. I guess we'll just deal with it when it comes," Rukia said, looking down at the floor. Ichigo watched his wife in her complete serene stillness. As the years passed, he never ceased to be amazed at Rukia's quiet strength. In his most self-doubting moments, she was his courage.

"I will talk to Uryuu," Ichigo said with finality. "You try to track down Inoue." He leaned over and gave his wife a kiss on the forehead and a half smile before he turned and headed for the kitchen. It was easy to find where Uryuu was just by following the scent of the delicious pancakes. Before he even stepped into the kitchen, Ichigo had begun to smell the sizzling bacon.

"Hey Ishida," Ichigo said as he lingered by the door.

"Ah! Kurosaki, how's it going?" Uryuu said without turning around. He flipped a pancake. "How many pancakes do you want?"

"Ah…" Ichigo scratched his head as he walked into the pristine stainless steel kitchen. "I think I'll pass. Rukia and I had some breakfast before we came over. Why are you making so many pancakes?"

Uryuu didn't answer Ichigo for a moment. The silence began to feel a little too weird for Ichigo, but he stood with his hands in his pockets unable to find an appropriate segue way from pancakes to funeral planning. What would Chad say? What would Rukia say? What would Inoue say? What would dad say? Ichigo began fumbling for words.

"I don't know," Uryuu said, knocking Ichigo out of his thoughts.

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know why I'm making pancakes."

"Oh, okay." Ichigo coughed, trying to get rid of the frog in his throat. He walked over to a bar stool and sat down. Leaning over the marble counter, he watched Uryuu continue making pancakes. A long quiet moment passed.

"Is there anything I can do?" Ichigo finally asked. Uryuu paused before flipping another pancake.

"No…" he said thoughtfully. "You can just sit here with me if you want."

"Okay." Ichigo stuffed his hands into his pockets and stayed with Uryuu while he made pancakes. He stayed with Uryuu in the kitchen well into late morning and then early afternoon. Neither of the men needed to say much to each other, but instead found comfort in each other's silence.

* * *

_She was somewhere else. She thought she was already home where she belonged, but somehow she had gotten lost along the way. Through the fog, she could see Uryuu. She could see his solitary figure, his arms crossed over his chest and his back to her. She saw herself reaching out to him, but he was too far away. She called his name, but he wouldn't turn around. He started walking away from her. "Did you know I waited for you…for years?" The words echoed in the air. She ran toward him, her feet seemed to melt into the blackness__ beneath her__. She couldn't see the rest of her body but she still felt herself moving forward. Closer and closer she got to his shadowy figure, and when she got close enough she could see his dark hair, long and flowing. When did he grow out his hair? She didn't remember Uryuu growing out his hair. She reached out to touch his shoulder; she wanted to ask him when he decided to grow out his hair. When she turned him around she saw that it wasn't Uryuu that was in front of her, but Ulquiorra. His face twisted, distorted, and soon she didn't see a man in front of her, but a masked demon whose mouth opened to scream loudly in her face before it leaped to devour her. _

Orihime awoke with a jolt in her seat. Her hands gripped the armrests and she struggled to calm her breath. She quickly glanced around her, reassuring herself that she was no longer in the darkness of her dreams but in the reality of her choice. The airplane hummed with familiarity, her seatbelt fitted tightly over her hip and her legs uncomfortably cramped in the space in front of her. The polyester carpet beneath her feet was solid…real…she could feel her blood pumping through her veins…everything was real. Orihime let out an exhausted breath and then leaned over in her seat, burying her face in her hands.

Orihime had never been more disappointed in herself− angry that she put her own happiness first when her friend needed her the most. Instead of trying to mend things with Uryuu after their fight, she had fled; she left the city so she could avoid dealing with their problems. When did she become such a coward? She went with Ulquiorra to New York without even thinking! What the hell was she even doing in New York City? She didn't belong there. She belonged back home, with the friends who loved and needed her.

Uryuu was alone now…truly alone. He was alone like she had been her entire life. He would soon walk beside his father's casket toward a dark hole in the cemetery. He would soon watch them lower his father into the ground. And soon he would watch them fill the hole up with dirt. Would he cry like she did at Sora's funeral? Would someone have to hold him back from wanting to jump into that dark abyss with him? Would he lay broken on his bed crying for days, weeks, years? Her chest felt heavy, her lungs felt constricted, and her throat felt dry. Oh, she knew too well what it felt like. She had memories of that last day with her brother…that last regret. Orihime's heart ached for Uryuu. He would do everything he could to hide his pain. He would have a cool calm exterior, but inside he'd be a scrambled mess of confused emotions.

In many ways, Uryuu had always been as alone as Orihime since the death of his grandfather. As much as he had worked to please Ryuuken, it seemed they could never quite connect. Now Ryuuken was dead. The chance to reconcile their differences, erase the years of disappointments and resentment, and start a new chapter together was gone. Uryuu would always be alone now. His father would not be at Uryuu's wedding or see the birth of Uryuu's first child. His father would not be able to share all of his infinite his wisdom. At Thanksgiving, Uryuu would not have a family meal with Ryuuken. At Christmas, he would not be exchanging presents with his father.

Yes, she knew how all of that felt too well. She had always been at the mercy of friends and distant relatives during the holidays. Christmas, especially, was a hard time to be alone. She should have seen this coming. She had known about Uryuu's father's prognosis for months, but she was so infatuated with Ulquiorra that she forgot about her priorities. How could she have hurt him like she did? She brushed him aside for a momentary thrill. Uryuu had been the one who had been there for her all those years, not Ulquiorra. Whenever she needed someone, Uryuu was there…and how did she repay him? She deserted him at his darkest moment. She wanted to cry for the pain that Uryuu was experiencing…for Ryuuken's death, but even more so for the remorse she felt.

Orihime crossed her arms over her chest and gazed at the misty clouds outside. She had been silent for the entire first half of the ride home before she had dozed off. Exhaling loudly, she closed her eyes and tried her best to ignore the fact that Ulquiorra was sitting next to her on the plane. Without even looking at him though, she knew what he was doing. The papers in his lap would be in disarray, red ink would be smeared across white pages, and he would be scribbling furiously with his blue ballpoint pen. She did not look at him or speak to him. She _couldn't_ look at him or speak to him. She was too afraid she would fall apart in front of him.

It was difficult to ignore him though. It was too hot on the plane for the forest green sweater she had been wearing so she had taken it off. She wore only a thin white t-shirt over a pink tank top and could feel his emanating warmth. Part of her still wanted to be in his arms, wanted his strength around her, wanted her head resting on his chest. Part of her still wanted the soothing dark timbre of his voice whispering comfort into her ears. But that Ulquiorra was far away now. The man sitting next to her was a different man.

But he could still do it, Orihime thought, her mind racing. With one look from his piercing green eyes he could have her on her knees. He could take everything out of her, her patience, her self-esteem, her confidence; he could take everything she had and then leave. He could calmly walk away as if they were nothing but strangers… as if what they had meant nothing. _Get a grip, Orihime_− she thought to herself, _pull yourself together._ _Think about Uryuu…think about what he's going through…_

* * *

The wake was well underway and while everyone else was pacing restlessly throughout the house, Uryuu remained still, standing in front of the large windows of his home. His gaze never seemed to tire of the scenery: faded mauve mountains, distant lights of the city, dark gloom of the sky, brown patches of naked trees, curved grey roads that carved away at the countryside. The remainder of the previous storm had produced white snow that still clung to a few worthy branches. It was truly winter and all green life was dead, but it was beautiful in Uryuu's eyes.

As Rukia walked past the living room with a pecan pie in her hands, she noticed the dark shadow that stood before the brightness of the windows. She paused and stood underneath the wide arched doorway and watched him. His back was straight as a soldier, with his hands clasped together behind him. He didn't want to have the wake so soon and he didn't want it to take place in his home, but both things were dictated in Ryuuken's pre-planned funeral arrangements. He didn't want to invite so many people and he didn't want the wake to last so long, but both were uncontrollable considering the importance of his father and the size of his company. Uryuu had been avoidant all day, dodging questions and hiding behind closed doors. He didn't want to be bothered and he didn't want comfort from anyone. When Rukia had asked him if there was anything she could do, he simply told her to let him know when Orihime had arrived. Tatsuki and Renji had shown up a few hours ago with news that Orihime was on her way, and with that Uryuu no longer needed anything else from anyone there. Lowering her eyes, Rukia walked away from the living room, giving Uryuu the privacy he had been silently screaming for all day.

* * *

Ulquiorra did his best to not respond to Orihime when she woke from her nap. Her stressed gasp alarmed him at first, making him want to ask her if something was wrong, but he knew she wouldn't respond to him. She had been giving him the silent treatment all afternoon; and Ulquiorra, never having been a man to create conflict, did not try to elicit any kind of response from her. There was very little about the situation that he understood. He knew that the glasses man had lost his father and that Orihime felt obligated to go home for the funeral, but he did not understand why she was grieving so much. It hadn't been her father that had died. Why did it matter to her? And if it mattered to her so much, then why couldn't she explain it to him? Grief was as foreign to him as love was: both were emotions he had heard of but never felt.

"Could you please put your seat up for landing, sir?" A sweet-faced blonde flight attendant asked with her bright red lipsticked smile. Ulquiorra suppressed the annoyance at being interrupted.

An hour later, Ulquiorra and Orihime were back on the ground and in the reality of their lives. The New York fantasy/nightmare (depending on how they remembered it) was put behind them, and they both realigned their minds to the people, obligations, and responsibilities that awaited them. Mindlessly, Ulquiorra took Orihime's keys out of her hands after she fished them out of her purse. He didn't miss the way her eyes widened with surprise or the frown of protest, but Ulquiorra was on autopilot. He did not understand why he followed her to her car, unlocked it for her, stuffed their overnight bags in the backseat, and then got into the driver's seat without a word. He merely did what his body wanted to do.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked as she sat down next to him. She fastened her seatbelt as her silver grey eyes watched him. He tried not to notice how pretty she looked in the late afternoon light.

"To your friend's house, if you could give me the directions," he said quietly as he started the car engine. As they pulled out of the airport parking lot, Orihime gave him the directions without further questions. It came as a surprise to her that he understood where she wanted to go immediately, but she was now focused on Uryuu and what she would say when she saw him. She was exhausted from travel and the passive-aggressive tension between her and Ulquiorra; she just couldn't engage him in conversation anymore. He wordlessly followed her directions as she guided him through the maze of streets that finally led to the right country road. For some reason, the last leg of their trip seemed to take even longer than the flight itself. Orihime couldn't help but wonder what Ulquiorra planned on doing when they arrived at Uryuu's house.

"It's this street right here," she said to him, pointing at the small road jutting off to the side. Orihime watched his eyes flicker for a brief moment as he saw it. He turned the car onto the small road that curved upward toward the top of the hill. The pine trees were dark, and inviting. Their branches folded Ulquiorra and Orihime in, enclosing them in the dead brown and grey of winter.

"It's lovely up here," Ulquiorra commented, surprising Orihime with his observation. She paused for a moment before responding.

"Yes, it is," she said simply. They gazed ahead of them at the darkening grove, eyes glazed over with fatigue and unspoken words.

When they arrived at the Ishida house, the driveway had already been filled. The rest of the cars parked halfway on the gravel shoulder and half on the pavement, narrowing the main road. Ulquiorra had to park Orihime's car behind a long line of other cars. Since it was clear that they were late for the wake, Orihime scrambled to get out of the car. She ignored Ulquiorra as she walked briskly toward the entrance of the house. She didn't notice the concern in his eyes or the way his eyebrows knit with confusion when she left him without saying good-bye. But she did notice that she was not dressed properly for the event and wished that she had thought to throw something black on when they were in the car.

Somewhere in her mind, she notice that Ulquiorra had gotten out of the car and was following her, but she didn't bother to stop and ask why or tell him to leave. Halfway to the front door, Orihime started to run. Her heart was beating frantically for some reason as her intuition told her that she needed to hurry up.

Ulquiorra felt like he was outside of his body, watching himself follow her up the stairs. He had to jog to keep up with her fast pace, but when she rang the doorbell he finally managed to catch up to her. They stood together on the front steps for a few seconds as they waited for someone to answer the door. They could hear quiet chatter humming away inside and steam could be seen on the interior of the glass windows. It was the petite former shinigami who opened the door for them. Her surprised face was pale compared to her black knee-length dress, black leggings and boots.

"Orihime…er…Ulquiorra," Rukia said, trying her best not to frown. "Hi, guys…come in."

"Hi Rukia," Orihime said breathlessly. She reached down to hug the pregnant woman as a flood of emotions seemed to wash over her. Her vision became misty with tears as she gripped Rukia in a long tight hug.

"Orihime…" Rukia said softly. She tried not to protest at the strength Orihime was exerting, and rubbed her friend's back soothingly. Maternal instincts were becoming second nature to her. "He's waiting for you in the backroom," Rukia said, knowing what Orihime was going to ask.

"Okay," Orihime managed to whisper as she let go of her friend. Rukia stepped aside to let them both in, and while Orihime rushed inside, Ulquiorra took his time in entering the warm home. Rukia gave Ulquiorra a small smile, trying her best to mask the questions she had burning in her head. What in the world was he doing here? Rukia waited for an explanation.

Ulquiorra didn't say anything to her as he walked past her, following Orihime's footsteps. Ulquiorra wasn't sure why he felt compelled to follow Orihime inside her friend's house, but he couldn't stop himself. He needed to know…needed to understand what this was all about. She moved with such purpose, such determination…why? He struggled to keep up with Orihime once inside the house, having to dodge several people who loitered in the halls and entryways. Suddenly he came across Ichigo who stood in the middle of a door, blocking his pursuit. With an annoyed and dismissive look on his face, Ulquiorra simply shoved him aside.

"Hey! What the− " Ichigo protested. He turned, seeing his wife approaching, and with large eyes asked, "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know!" Rukia said. Hearing the commotion, Tatsuki and Renji entered the hallway from the kitchen.

"What's happening?" Tatsuki asked.

"Ulquiorra is here!" Ichigo said.

Ulquiorra heard the shinigami and his friends talking about him, but he didn't care. He was starting the feel a small panic in his chest, a familiar pang that drove him to need to find Orihime in the hot crowded house. There were so many people standing around, most of them in dark suits and drabby dresses with cocktails in their hands. None of them seemed compelled to get out of his way. He shoved and pushed his way through the house. The woman had suddenly turned into a race car and Ulquiorra was surprised at the difficulty it took to keep up with her. His breathing was quickening as he followed the sound of Orihime's footsteps up a half-flight of stairs into a glass enclosed room. He paused at the top of the stairs, resting his hand on a wall while he tried to catch his breath. When he finally looked up, he saw her.

Orihime had stopped running and stood in the center of the sunroom, staring at a dark figure that stood before a wall of bright windows. Ulquiorra started to go into the room, but stopped when he saw her approaching the lone figure.

"Uryuu…" He heard her soft voice call out to the man. Somewhere behind him, Ulquiorra's mind registered the presence of all of the woman's friends. They had arrived to watch the show, to see what would happen between the three of them.

"Uryuu," she called out again. This time the man turned around. Orihime took a few more steps toward him hesitantly, as if she did not want to scare him. Her friend looked like ghost, with sunken eyes and pale dried lips.

"Orihime?" The man finally spoke.

Ulquiorra watched as Uryuu stared at Orihime for a moment as if he didn't know who she was. The man stood there like a statue, unmoving and silent, but Ulquiorra could see in his face the all emotions he was feeling: surprise…pain…longing…relief. Ulquiorra categorized these emotions like different types of species, each belonging to their own unique family. He would later analyze them in order to determine the nature of Orihime and Uryuu's relationship. But for now, he remained an observer.

"I'm so sorry," Ulquiorra heard her whisper in a hoarse pained voice. Her eyes were glassy with impending tears. It took only a few more seconds before the two stopped staring at each other and ran forward into each other's arms.

Orihime wrapped her arms around his neck and he wrapped his arms around her waist. She buried her face into his shoulder and he buried his into her hair. Ulquiorra heard her crying and he saw tears coming down the man's face. Both of them were shaking with emotion as they clutched each other tightly. "I'm so sorry…" Ulquiorra heard her whispering over and over again.

The cold sunroom suddenly gave Ulquiorra goosebumps and he felt obligated to leave. He didn't belong here. The spell that had made him follow her all the way here from New York finally broke. When he turned to take his exit, he found himself stopped by a barricade of Orihime's friends. Shooting them a sharp glare, he stepped in between Ichigo and Tatsuki, forcing them both to move so he could leave.

* * *

After Ulquiorra left, Orihime and Uryuu were left alone in the sunroom. It didn't take long for the rest of her friends to realize that they needed some time together without other people around. She knew that there would be words exchanged between her friends− speculations about what these events meant, but for that late afternoon and evening, Orihime only focused on Uryuu.

At first they did not talk about Ryuuken's death, Ulquiorra, or her sudden disappearance. They talked about the everyday things that brought comfort and familiarity back to an old friendship. If Orihime had to recount the conversations she had with Uryuu that day, she wouldn't be able to remember the topics they discussed. Orihime placated Uryuu with words that only she could give and listened when he was ready to talk about his father's death.

When Orihime and Uryuu reappeared in the main rooms of the house, where the wake was taking place, all of their friends could see the transformation. The emptiness in Uryuu's eyes was gone and was filled instead with realized grief. He was ready to play the role of the son who had lost his father.

Uryuu spoke politely with his father's former business partners and employees, giving the general expected platitudes. Yes, his father had been a good man. Yes, he had been a great businessman. Yes, he would be missed tremendously. Everything the strangers wanted to hear, they heard from Uryuu. He encouraged them to eat and drink, to check out the photos placed near the casket in the main living room. He thanked them for coming and told them a million times where the service would be and when the burial was happening.

Orihime was never far from his side. Though she said very little, her eyes showed that she was also in mourning. Rukia, Ichigo, Renji, Tatsuki, and Chad did not question her about where she went with Ulquiorra or why he had come with her when she arrived. The time was reserved only for respectful remembrance and bereavement of a great man.

It was late and completely dark outside when the crowd finally started to thin. The Kurosaki twins took care of the kitchen clean up, washing dishes and putting away food, while the Kurosaki patriarch spoke quietly with the funeral home director about plans for the next day. Rukia recruited her husband in helping her clear the rest of the house of abandoned drinks and half eaten plates of food, and Renji and Tatsuki took on the job of putting away the photos and flowers in the living room. Chad gave his apologies, needing to get back to work at his bar, but he promised to arrive early the next morning to help in any way he could. There was not a single task left for Uryuu and Orihime to do, and so the two friends climbed the stairs up to the second level of the house to get out of everyone else's way.

They moved to Ryuuken's study, a dignified room that doubled as a library. The room maintained the cool, clean, crisp decorum of the rest of the house, but it was filled with the casual clutter that was evidence of human life. A stack of unorganized and unopened mail sat on the ledge of a desk. A pen was left carelessly on a notepad with a grocery list scribbled on it. A soft reading lamp lit up a brown leather chair, where a bookmarked novel sat unfinished and unread by its owner. The grey carpeted floor was worn down, and the curtains were just about past due for a dusting. This was where he lived and breathed. This was not the room of a savvy businessman, a skilled physician, or a powerful Quincy. This was Ryuuken's room, a simple human being who loved his son and liked to read.

As they settled into the dim room, Orihime glanced at the shelves of leather-bound journals, wondering to herself if Uryuu would ever dare to read them. Uryuu sat on the edge of the large mahogany desk with a glass of almost empty scotch in one hand, as he started to flip through the unopened mail. Orihime walked over to an old worn chair, upholstered in a soft dark brown suede fabric, and sat down.

"What are you going to do with this room?" Orihime asked, taking a sip of her of pinot noir.

"I don't know," Uryuu said absently as he set down his scotch so he could open a letter. "I don't think I could ever make it mine."

"It's such a lovely room. You could keep it as just a library," Orihime suggested.

"Maybe…" Uryuu replied as he pulled out a bill from a torn envelope. "I've been thinking about leaving this place."

"What do you mean?" Part of Orihime suddenly felt alert. Even though she knew he was probably just talking about his residence, she wanted to make sure that he wasn't considering leaving her.

"I just want to ignore everything in this house. You know, pretend like it's not here. I don't want to go through everything…all his stuff," Uryuu said tossing aside the bill and its matching envelope. "When I was helping my father pre-plan his funeral, I didn't think about the things that you can't put in a will, like…his clothes. What am I supposed to do with all of his clothes? They aren't worth anything, so there's no point it selling them in order to add their value to his estate."

"They're worth something," Orihime mentioned quietly as she took another sip of her wine. Uryuu paused for a moment, taking in her words.

"I think I'll keep all his books, even the ones I wouldn't ever read."

"That's a wise choice. Someday your kids might want to read them," Orihime said, nodding.

"My kids?" Uryuu said, as if this were the first time he had ever thought about having offspring.

"Yeah, your kids…you know, children: little humans that grow up to be like you and me. I mean, it's your choice, but do you really want the Quincys to die out?" Orihime smiled.

"Heh, I suppose I can't let that happen," Uryuu said dryly. The humor left his face quickly though, and after a couple of seconds, his face became more serious.

"I can't believe I'm the last Quincy…" His voice shivered with heaviness.

"Don't say it like that," Orihime said frowning. She pushed a stray lock of her hair behind her eyes as she caught his gaze. "You make it sound like you're the last unicorn or something."

"Thanks for the good analogy," Uryuu said, unable to stop a smile from reappearing on his face. "Although, you might have a point, if only that unicorn had decided to procreate one last time…maybe they wouldn't be extinct. I really should get going on that."

"Haha, very funny," Orihime said, rolling her eyes.

"You came up with the analogy," Uryuu pointed out as he returned to sorting his mail. Sighing loudly he said, "Seriously, Orihime, what am I supposed to do with his clothes?"

Orihime tilted her head to the side, as she often did when she was trying to come up with ideas.

"Hmm…I believe most people donate the clothes…like to some charity or something- that way someone else can appreciate them and make good use of the clothes."

"That's not a bad idea…" Uryuu thought out loud. "I'll probably do that then."

"You should keep a few articles of his clothing though," Orihime added.

"Why?" Uryuu frowned.

"To remember him by, silly." Orihime gave Uryuu a warm smile. He blinked several times with confusion as he tried to consider it.

"I don't know what I'd keep…"

"Well, there's got to be something he wore a lot, like a tie? Or a favorite hat? Or some t-shirt from a rock concert."

"My dad never went to rock concerts."

"Oh don't say that, I bet he did when he was young!" Orihime argued.

"I think he had a favorite pen," Uryuu said, suddenly remembering. He reached over to the container holding all of the pens and pencils. "At least I think it was his favorite pen. He wrote with it all the time and got really crabby when he couldn't find it…although, it looks like it's not here. Maybe it's at his work office." Uryuu looked back up at Orihime and shrugged. He picked up his glass of scotch again and finished it. "Do you have anything you kept from your brother?"

"Yes, of course. My hair pins, silly," Orihime pointed out laughing. Her glass of red wine was almost empty as well.

"Ah, yes," Uryuu said as he picked through the remaining pieces of mail.

They were quiet for a while, both of them sinking into their own private thoughts. Orihime leaned back, resting her head on the soft fabric of the chair. Her eyes felt heavy and she realized how tired she was. Yawning loudly, she blinked several times trying to wake herself up.

"I should probably get going. I've got to catch a ride with Tatsuki," Orihime said, forcing herself to stand up before she completely fell asleep.

"Where's your car?" Uryuu asked.

"Ulquiorra probably took it," Orihime said mindlessly, but immediately regretted it when she saw how Uryuu froze in place. It was the first time she had spoken his name that entire evening.

"Ah, okay," Uryuu said, not wanting further explanation and turning his attention back to the letter from an insurance company that he was holding in his hand. Orihime hated how Ulquiorra's name affected her relationship with Uryuu. She didn't want to keep pushing one of her oldest friends away. It was time to face the problem.

"I've been really stupid lately," Orihime blurted out. Uryuu looked up at her, meeting her grey eyes with his midnight blue ones. He raised an eyebrow as he watched her thoughtfully.

"Oh? How so?"

Orihime bit her lower lip as she forced herself to be honest with him. She was vigilant of his reactions as she started, "I was stupid about being so involved with Ulquiorra…jumping into a relationship with him without thinking…ignoring the consequences."

Uryuu watched a series of emotions pass over Orihime's face and frowned. "Orihime, the only person who's been stupid lately is me. I shouldn't have gotten so jealous that night at Mr. Kurosaki's birthday party. You and I ended a long time ago, and it was unfair of me to bring it up again."

"Really?" Orihime said, knitting her brows together.

"Yes, really. You're free to see whomever you want. I shouldn't have a say in that."

"Uryuu…" She said softly, her grey eyes melting with unwanted tears. "I…" she started to say, but stopped.

"It's okay, Orihime," he said gently as he walked over to her. He knelt down so he could look her directly in the eyes. He took her hands into his and gave them a squeeze.

Feeling the irony of the situation, Orihime continued to fret. How odd was it that he was comforting her, when he was the one who had lost someone important. But Uryuu's deep blue eyes were peaceful, and so she tried to push her anxiety away.

"Thank you…," she managed to finally say.

"You're most welcomed," Uryuu replied, giving her a genuine smile.

She still looked unhappy.

"What is this that I see in your eyes? You're upset about something else," Uryuu observed.

Orihime suppressed a moan of distress. He would always be able to read her emotions effortlessly.

"What is it, Orihime? What happened?" He prompted.

Orihime sniffled as she fumbled with her glass of red wine. She looked down into its bloody red depths, unable to hold Uryuu's gaze. "Nothing…I just realized…I think I had this image in my head of who I thought he was," Orihime said, swallowing hard and trying to maintain her control. "But I couldn't see all of him and so I moved too fast…and now I don't know what I want."

Uryuu's midnight blue eyes softened as he gave her another small smile. "Orihime, no man is perfect…it doesn't matter if you were once a hollow or if you're a shinigami or a Quincy…most definitely if you're a Quincy," Uryuu laughed. "We make mistakes, but you can't let those mistakes cloud your true feelings."

"I'm not sure what my true feelings are…" Orihime said looking up at him.

Uryuu paused for a second as he evaluated the naked feelings on her face. It wasn't very hard, he could see it easily. The Orihime he knew was a woman who loved with devotion and selflessness. She was a woman who couldn't just give up part of herself to someone; if she were to love, she would love unapologetically and completely. This was the first time he'd ever seen Orihime's heart falter.

"Maybe you don't know right now…but your heart knows. Be brave, and give it some time," Uryuu said as he stood up from his cramped position. "And cut us guys some slack, we're not the perfect beings you women us to be," Uryuu added grinning.

"Really? And here I always thought it was the other way around," Orihime said dryly, unable to stop herself from returning his smile. There was still another question burning inside her though. She chewed her lips as she stared at him. "You're okay with this?"

"Yes…I'm accepting it, Orihime." Uryuu nodded. "I give you my full blessing. Love as you will."

* * *

A/N: i posted this as soon as i could, it still needs some work (cleaning up the typos and such) so i'll be going back to fix those, but i hope you enjoyed it despite its unedited state. additional comments on this chapter at the usual place guys [mmagnoliastorm-livejournal-com, replace the - with . ] i know i said this next update would be quick but i lied. it took me longer to write this than i thought. i hope you like it! reviews make me extremely happy, so let me know what you think of it.


	14. Chapter 14: The Dinner

Thank you to all of those who have been reading, and a special thank you to those who have reviewed. You hold a special place in my heart. Ramblings, the song for this chapter, and a special picture I did for this story at mmagnoliastorm-livejournal-com, replace the - with . Hope you enjoy it :)

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**Chapter 14: The Dinner**

The next morning, Orihime's car was back in its usual parking spot in front of her apartment building. She stood in front of it, stunned with shock, holding a coffee travel mug in one hand and large canvas bag in the other. When did he manage to drop it off? She stared at it, as if it didn't belong to her, as if someone had replaced her car with an evil twin. She had noticed her car was still missing when she had been dropped off by Tatsuki yesterday around 11:00 PM, but she had been so exhausted that she hadn't given it a second thought. It was when she woke up and remembered that Ulquiorra had taken her car that she got annoyed at the inconvenience.

Orihime had to call Tatsuki and asked for a ride to the church for the funeral service. She had fully prepared herself to be without her vehicle for the day, and had just stepped out to wait for Tatsuki. But now, the car sat there as if it had been there all night. Although it was perfectly reasonable that he could have dropped it off anywhere between 11:00 PM and 7:00 AM, it still irritated Orihime that she hadn't noticed when Ulquiorra had come by. How did he get home if he had to leave the car here? Did he just call a taxi or did the hotel shuttle have to come pick him up?

Tatsuki noticed Orihime right away when she arrived. As she parked her car, Tatsuki pulled off her aviator sunglasses and stared at her eccentric friend. Orihime stood out in the morning light with her bright red hair and stark black dress and coat. She looked borderline ridiculous standing on the sidewalk, examining her surroundings as if she were lost. Tatsuki suppressed a need to laugh at her friend as she got out of her car. Orihime seemed so involved in whatever she was doing that she didn't even seem to notice Tatsuki was approaching.

"What are you doing, Orihime?" Tatsuki asked.

"AH!" Orihime screamed, whirling around at the sound of the voice. Her coffee mug, despite its covered top, was not secured enough to handle the splashing of the coffee. The top of the mug flew off, and hot coffee spew through the air nearly scorching Tatsuki's arm.

"Ack! Sorry, Tatsuki!" Orihime said breathlessly. "I think I have a handkerchief in my bag. Here, hold this," Orihime said, shoving her now opened mug of coffee at Tatsuki.

"It's okay," Tatsuki grumbled as she took the mug. "I'm dry. You just spilled a little coffee, that's all. No need for a handkerchief."

"Ugh, I'm so clumsy!" Orihime berated herself. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you coming. When did you get here?"

"Like…five minutes ago. What were you doing, Orihime? Did you lose something?" Tatsuki asked.

"Oh…no, I was just….I was wondering if someone might be hiding around here…" She admitted as she bent over to pick up the lid of her coffee mug.

"Why would someone be hiding?" Tatsuki frowned, turning around to face her friend. Orihime sighed loudly, blowing her bangs out of her eyes.

"Never mind, let's get going," Orihime mumbled, leading the way to Tatsuki's car.

"Hey, your car is back," Tatsuki observed as she followed Orihime.

"Yeah," Orihime replied, as she approached her friend's car. "Can I still catch a ride with you? I don't feel like driving today."

"Really?" Tatsuki said, raising her eyebrows. Normally, Orihime loved driving her little blue Saab.

"Yes, carpooling, saving the environment, let's go!" Orihime said as she eagerly pulled at the locked passenger door. She gave her friend a look that begged for her to just drop the topic.

"Alright, alright…hold your horses," Tatsuki said finally, unlocking the doors. "You look nice today," she commented.

"Thanks," Orihime said, in a dry tone, looking down at her plain black dress underneath her normal black peacoat. "So do you," Orihime said, noticing what Tatsuki was wearing. It was rare that she ever got to see her tomboy friend dress up- although, some would argue that she wasn't really _that_ dressed up.

Underneath her blue jean jacket, Tatsuki wore her only pair of black dress pants with a simple black jersey top. Tatsuki liked how the fabric draped gracefully across her chest, giving the illusion that she had more curves than she really did. For some reason, these things seemed to matter to her lately, and it annoyed the hell out of her. She had even gone to the trouble of throwing on a pair of gold hoop earrings and an old gold necklace her mother had given her. She didn't want to admit that it was because of Renji that she suddenly had become aware of how she looked when she left the house in the morning.

The girls made their journey to the church without much conversation. Both of them seemed to have things on their minds that they didn't feel like sharing quite yet. Orihime ruminated about Ulquiorra. Where was he was that morning…when exactly did he drop off her car? For some reason, that part bothered her immensely. Perhaps it was because she wanted a chance to confront him…or maybe she just wanted to see him. She knew he had left shortly after she had found Uryuu in the sunroom. Part of her was grateful; she didn't want to deal with him at the time. She was glad he took that opportunity to give her some space, even if it meant taking her car for the night. Orihime chewed on her lower lip nervously, wondering…what if he wasn't just giving her space though… Orihime thought fretfully.

"Is everything okay?" Tatsuki said, glancing sideways at her friend. She had noticed Orihime starting to frown and squirm in her seat. "You look like you need to pee or something."

"Ha! No." Orihime scowled. "I'm just….you know…" she looked at her friend, unable to see Tatsuki's eyes behind the aviator sunglasses, but knowing there was probably a look of skepticism in them. "I'm sad….because Uryuu's father died," Orihime said plainly, hoping it was a good enough excuse for Tatsuki to just leave the problem alone.

Tatsuki frowned at Orihime's lame excuse. She knew there was something else that was bothering Orihime, and she suspected it probably had to do with Ulquiorra. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to get into the heavy topic that morning. Part of her was disturbed by the fact that neither of them seemed to want to confide in each other anymore. When did that happen? Tatsuki admitted to herself that she was part of the problem- she didn't want to talk about Renji and the recent developments in their relationships. Their friendship was changing and it felt foreign and uncomfortable.

"Oh look, there's Uryuu and Chad," Orihime pointed out as they approached the church. Both girls were grateful for the distraction. The two men stood in front of the church talking to each other. Chad held a stack of programs, absently handing one out to each person who walked into the church, as he talked with Uryuu.

"Aww, look at Chad in a suit," Tatsuki grinned at the sight as she pulled her car into the parking lot. "I can't wait to see Renji in a suit," she blurted out. Tatsuki ignored the curious look Orihime gave her about the comment. She was grateful when her friend didn't ask any questions about why she wanted to see the tattooed man in a suit.

The funeral service was short, without too much fanfare or mourning hymns. Uryuu's eulogy was as straightforward and unsentimental as Ryuuken had been when he was alive. And afterward, many people talked about what a wonderful job Uryuu had done of capturing the spirit of Ryuuken Ishida in his speech. The solemnity of the service created a calm in the crowd that lasted well through the burial ceremony. Even though there were tears, there was a feeling of comfort in the air that things had been done just the way Ryuuken would have wanted. When Uryuu, Isshin, Ichigo, and Chad all carried the casket down the church aisle, everyone was ready to say good bye to the great man that was Ryuuken Ishida.

After the end of the funeral service, Orihime stood with Uryuu, holding his hand as the men started to fill the hole. Uryuu's midnight blue eyes were fixed on the dark hole that was quickly being filled up. It looked like he would never be able to pull his eyes away from the disappearing casket. The day had been organized so that everyone else could say good bye to Ryuuken, but Orihime knew that it would be days before Uryuu would be able to really process everything that had happened. He would need time to forgive himself of anything he felt he had failed to do for his father. It would be the only way he could move on: he needed to know that what he had done for his father was enough. He needed to stop trying to make his father happy and start figuring out what would make him happy. Orihime looked up at Uryuu and watched him carefully; her heart filled was with hope that he would come out of this a stronger man.

"Uryuu?" Orihime asked, wanting to draw his attention away from the dark hole in the ground.

"Hmm?" He responded, not looking up at her.

"Do you want me to come home with you?" She asked, knitting her eyebrows together with concern. His dark gaze finally snapped up to look at her.

"No, Orihime," Uryuu said firmly. He leaned over and hugged her, giving her cheek a chaste kiss. "Thank you for everything that you've done. I'm alright though…really. I want to be alone." He sighed loudly as he looked past her at all the people who lingered around the cemetery. The reverence of the burial ceremony was gone, and people were already talking to one another as if it were cocktail hour. "I've been around people nonstop for the past three days and I'm just about at my social limit," he laughed dryly as he let go of her and turned to leave the burial site.

"What are you going to do? Just go home?" Orihime said, frowning as she followed him, trying to stay at his side.

"Yes! Yes, I am going home and I am going to take a hot shower and then the world's longest nap. I may not wake up until the New Year," Uryuu grinned, gripping the paper program in his right hand. His smile disturbed Orihime for some reason.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Orihime asked.

"Yes, I promise," he said stopping and turning to face her. He grabbed her shoulders gently and looked at her straight in the eyes. "You've been wonderful these last two days, Orihime. But I just need time to get my life back in order…by myself…you know?" He couldn't stop grinning for some reason. "I didn't leave my father's side for months, and now I finally have a chance to just want to be alone."

"But what are you going to do? Just sit and watch TV?" Orihime inquired incredulously.

"I've got two seasons of _Bones_ to catch up on! Seriously, Orihime, I'm not going to slit my wrists or anything," Uryuu said in a dry tone. When Orihime's silver eyes flashed with annoyance at the joke, Uryuu straightened up and tried once more to reassure his friend. "I need a vacation…Maybe I'll go on Maui? Relax at a beach…drink coconut cocktails…meet beautiful women in bikinis."

"Sounds like a great plan to me!" Renji cheered as he walked up to them with Tatsuki, Ichigo, and Rukia in tow. Their feet crunched loudly on the snow beneath them as they approached.

"Well maybe you should go with him then," Tatsuki hissed with venom in her voice. The thought of Renji ogling bikini-clad women pissed her off.

"I wouldn't have to if you'd put on a bikini for me," Renji teased.

"Ugh, get a room guys!" Ichigo moaned.

"I think it sounds like a great idea, Uryuu. You certainly deserve it after all the hard months you've had," Rukia said sympathetically, and then turned to Orihime, "It's better than sitting around that house surrounded by all the things that would remind him of his father…"

"Thanks, Rukia…" Uryuu gave her a small genuine smile.

"But don't leave until after Christmas, please? We're having a big dinner at my place and everyone is invited. It just wouldn't be the same without you," she begged, trying to keep from shivering in her red peacoat despite the cold gust that swept through the cemetery. Her nose was starting to turn pink from wind.

"I suppose I could do that…" Uryuu said slowly. Deep inside he had to hold back a grimace at the thought of another evening filled with too many people and an overwhelming amount of food.

"Oh, and Ulquiorra is invited too!" Rukia added, grinning at Orihime. Her grey eyes turned into large saucers at the petite dark-haired woman's comment.

"What?" Orihime cried, looking around at each of the faces of her friends. "Why? Why would you want him there?"

"Because he's important to you," Rukia said, confused at Orihime's response. "We can see he's clearly a part of your life now, and so he's going to be a part of ours too."

Orihime stared at Rukia for a moment, with her jaw wide open. "You can't be serious…" She said, still in shock. She turned to Tatsuki, looking for the expected disapproving scowl but didn't find one. "You're okay with this too?"

"Yeah," Tatsuki said lightly. Her hands were shoved into the pockets of her jean jacket, but she managed to shrug her shoulders awkwardly. "…Whatever…you know?"

"It would be a good chance for all of us to get to know him," Chad added as he walked up to the circle of friends.

"Exactly!" Rukia said cheerfully, unable to suppress her good mood despite the impending bad weather. "I've got an amazing dinner planned! Turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, yams…"

"Wow, that does sound delicious…and you're cooking all this?" Orihime said, raising her eyebrows.

"I said I have it planned…I never said I was the one cooking," Rukia muttered, looking away from them all in a huff.

"Yuzu's doing the cooking," Ichigo explained lamely.

"Well…that sounds lovely," Orihime quickly added, not wanting to insult Rukia. Her dark haired friend's gaze returned to them as she forced a smile.

"It's going to be great!" Rukia said, dreaming of the warm toasty meal in her head. "So you'll give him the invitation, yes? It will be at 8:00 PM sharp!"

It was Orihime's turn to avert her gaze now, suddenly feeling awkward and speechless. The tension filled pause forced skeptical glances from all of her friends.

"What's wrong?" Tatsuki asked, sarcastically. "Is he too good to have dinner with us?"

"No!" Orihime yelled, scowling.

"Well what is it then? You look like you're hiding something," Tatsuki pushed the issue.

"What? I'm not hiding anything!" Orihime's voice screeched as she fumbled for excuses. "I just…haven't spoken to him since we got here…"

"**Oooohh….**" All of her friends said in unison, with the exception of Uryuu who managed to look as confused as Orihime.

"Oooh, what?" He asked, assessing each of their faces.

"Well, I'm sure once you guys talk things over…" Rukia began, trying to figure out the best way to support Orihime despite having absolutely no real knowledge about the true nature of the problem. Each of them, except Uryuu, had seen the jealousy in Ulquiorra's eyes when he stormed out of the sunroom that day.

"He's probably had time to think…I'm sure he's ok by now," Renji added quickly, trying to save Rukia's point. Tatsuki gave Renji a skeptical look before putting forth her own two cents.

"Just explain how upsetting the situation was for you and Uryuu, and tell him that it had nothing to do with him," Tatsuki said, stating her advice as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Orihime stared at the ground, unable to tell her friends that the state of affairs with Ulquiorra had nothing to do with his behavior at the wake. They didn't know about what had happened in New York. Her hesitation to invite Ulquiorra to dinner was no longer about her friends' prejudices but about her own doubts about their relationship.

"We'll see…" Orihime muttered finally, searching for an excuse. She hated that she wasn't a better liar. It always seemed life would be easier if she could have the perfect fib on hand for these types of awkward situations. She shivered, her teeth beginning to chatter from the bitter cold and wind that was now picking up speed. The sunny morning was quickly turning into a dark grey afternoon. "Man…it's freezing out here!" Orihime said loudly as she started to shimmy her way from the circle of friends. "I better get going…I've got to…ah…water my plants. Bye Uryuu! Call me!"

Her friends stared at one another with confused looks on their faces as Orihime escaped.

"Where do you think you're going, young lady?" Tatsuki asked, running after her friend. "What are you going to do? Walk home from here in the cold?"

Orihime exhaled loudly, her breath creating a white fog in front of her.

"I just might have to!" She retorted, glancing over her shoulder at the rest of her friends who seemed to have moved onto another topic of discussion. It seemed all her other friends were going to leave her alone, _except_ Tatsuki.

"Why are you acting so weird?" Tatsuki asked, exasperated. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Orihime said back to her, walking swiftly and getting equally frustrated.

"That's such a lie!" Tatsuki snapped as she caught up with Orihime, and stomped next to the orange-haired girl. "You've been weird all morning!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Orihime yelled, her frustration quickly turning into irritation. They finally reached Tatsuki's car, forcing a sulky Orihime to wait by the passenger side for Tatsuki to unlock the doors.

"Ugh!" Tatsuki growled as she stuck her key in the driver's side door and unlocking it. After a loud click, Orihime opened her door and sat down in the equally cold car, her knees shaking from the cold. "You've been weird all month! It's like December has turned into the month of strangeness for you. I'm beginning to think Rukia's right, that it has nothing to do with Ulquiorra and that you've got to be going through some kind of early mid-life crisis or something or… aliens have abducted my sweet friend Orihime and replaced her with someone else!"

"Tatsuki! You've been on my case all month. Maybe I'm acting weird because you just won't ease up on me," Orihime responded, her voice betraying fatigue and despondence. Tatsuki sat down in the driver's side seat, hearing the surrender in Orihime's voice. It had always been impossible to engage in a full on screaming match with Orihime. The red-head always gave up too easily. Tatsuki sighed loudly as she started the car's engine and turned on the heat at full blast.

"I'm sorry, Orihime…you're right. I have been on your case…it's just that I'm so worried about you. Well…maybe it's because I'm so worried about us," Tatsuki confessed. "You used to tell me everything…but now I feel like I don't know anything that's going on in your life."

Orihime's silver gaze returned to meet Tatsuki's large brown eyes. She didn't reply immediately, feeling at a loss for words. She was barely able to understand her own behavior, let alone know how to explain it to others around her.

The silence in the car was deafening for Tatsuki, who was always too impatient even during serious conversations.

"Let's play that game. You know, the one we used to play when we were little: I tell a secret and then you tell a secret," Tatsuki suggested, as she shifted in her seat so she could face Orihime directly. "I'll start. I slept with Renji. Ok, now you," she prompted. Orihime raised an eyebrow immediately at the news and gave Tatsuki and odd look.

"Really? You and Renji?"

Tatsuki nodded, "Uh huh, I know….okay, now you…"

Orihime sighed with defeat and confessed the one thing she knew to be true, "I'm not sure how I feel about Ulquiorra right now."

"Renji caught Chad and Karin making out."

"Woah? Clearly you've got more to tell me than I have to tell you," Orihime said, suddenly interested.

"Haha, not really…that's about it. Renji walked in on them in the pantry that night when you and Uryuu got into that big fight," Tatsuki said looking away from Orihime for a moment and exhaling loudly. "I really really like Renji."

"Tatsuki…there's nothing wrong with liking a guy," Orihime said in a soft voice. "Renji is crazy about you. Everyone can see that. He has been for a long time."

"Really…?"

"Yes. You were just too blind to see it before now," Orihime grinned.

"I still don't see it…" Tatsuki said, rolling her eyes. "He treats me like I'm his little sister."

"Would he want to see his little sister in a bikini?"Orihime pointed out, laughing.

"Ugh!" Tatsuki said with a disbelieving frown. She was quiet for a moment, her thoughts still lingering on Renji before she suddenly remembered the reason why she had started this little confession session to begin with. "Why aren't you certain about your feelings for Ulquiorra anymore?" Tatsuki asked with concern.

"I don't know…because I'm dumb? It just took me a while to realize how little I really know about him...I kept thinking we could just be together like a normal couple," Orihime said, knitting her brows at the hesitation she felt inside. Tatsuki worked hard to refrain from saying 'I told you so,' and instead opted to try her best at playing a supportive role.

"He's not a normal human like you and me…" Tatsuki began and was instantly cut off by Orihime.

"I know…I know…that's what you all have been telling me…but even so, I kept thinking to myself that he's had plenty of time to adjust to human life. If he had been born as a baby the day they started his sentence and he were to grow to become 12 years old today, he would have been fine, I think. He'd be just like any other human…, but I know that's not what happened. I chose to ignore the infinite amount of years he must have spent as a hollow…and then as Aizen's servant."

"Just being human isn't enough, Orihime," Tatsuki offered gently. "We're humans because of the relationships we have. At first when we're born, we're raised by our parents and families…and then we learn how to make and maintain friendships…and then we learn how to love romantically. It's only through relationships that we're able to be the humans that you and I are…maybe that's what Ulquiorra's missing? Maybe he hasn't developed any normal relationships since he's become human?"

"How can that be? He's got an amazing career; clearly, he's learned how to form the relationships needed to be successful at his job. And, believe it or not, he actually has friends. I met some of them when I went to New York with him."

"Wait− New York? Is that where you've been?" Tatsuki asked, making a face. "And Ulquiorra has friends?"

"Yep. He's got three guy friends he met through school and work and stuff. They used to hang out all the time and drink scotch together and talk about 'literature and culture' and all that other pretentious academic crap…" Orihime muttered with bitterness. Tatsuki raised an eyebrow, trying to hold back a laugh of amusement.

"Well…good for him, I guess," Tatsuki said. "But anyways…back to the point. Do you know if he's had any real relationships with other women? Has he ever been in love or been in a committed relationship?"

It was Orihime's turn to make a face, "Ugh, no…I don't know. I've never asked about his ex-girlfriends. I mean…I'm sure he's had them. I once asked him if he dated and all he told me was that he 'appreciates the female form' or something like that."

"Typical− That's so Ulquiorra-ish of him to say something like that," Tatsuki said. "Well, it looks like that's the key to understanding him at this point…"

"Huh?"

"Finding out about his ex-girlfriends!" Tatsuki couldn't help but smile. "Once you find out about his exes, you'll be able to figure out what makes him tick in a relationship." Orihime watched Tatsuki hesitantly. She had once taken relationship advice from Tatsuki regarding Ulquiorra, and that did not end well.

"I don't know…how am I supposed to find that out?"

Tatsuki merely shrugged as she turned around and finally put the car in drive. "You'll come up with something!" Tatsuki said cheerfully.

* * *

Orihime decided she would ask Ulquiorra about his ex-girlfriends…_after_ he apologized about his behavior in New York and they had a _long_ talk. In the days after Ryuuken's funeral, Orihime was on pins and needles waiting to hear from Ulquiorra. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Orihime was actually diligent about picking up the phone every time it rang. Whenever she got a text message or voicemail, she checked it right away. She even made sure to clear out the old voicemail and text messages that filled up her inbox to an almost 100% capacity. She waited, and waited.

As the days went by though, Orihime didn't hear anything from Ulquiorra and her hopes began to sink. Every time the phone rang, Orihime jumped at the sound, eager to see who was calling. It was never Ulquiorra though; and soon, whenever Orihime's friends called, they expected a crabby Orihime to answer the phone.

Every day that went by without contact from Ulquiorra made Orihime more and more anxious. She tried to keep busy by finishing her Christmas shopping and hanging out with Tatsuki and Rukia, but she couldn't stop thinking about Ulquiorra. _Why isn't he calling? Is he mad at me? Did I do something wrong? What could I have done wrong?_ _If anything, he should be the one worrying about me not calling,_ Orihime thought to herself bitterly. It wasn't long before her anxiety became laced with resentment. _How dare he ignore me, he's the one who owes me an apology! I'm not going to forgive him right away when he finally calls for doing this to me,_ Orihime swore to herself.

A couple of days turned into several days, and Orihime's anger eventually melted away turning back into anxiety and self-doubt. Was it over for him? Had he given up on them? Did he not want to see her or talk to her ever again? The thoughts made Orihime regret not contacting him first. By the time she managed to swallow her pride and call his office at the University, it was too late. A tart research assistant informed Orihime that most of the University was shut down for winter break and that no one knew where Ulquiorra had been in the past few days anyways. Without any other means of contacting Ulquiorra, Orihime fell into a remorseful despair. Why didn't she just deal with the problem right away? Why did she have to wait? Now it seemed too late to salvage their relationship.

The daylight hours grew shorter and the nights grew longer as the winter solstice approached. By the time Christmas dinner had arrived, Orihime had managed to become the Uncle Scrooge amongst her friends. As she had done in all of the most recent Christmases, Orihime went over to Uryuu's place for Christmas brunch. Neither of them had any other plans and Orihime argued, "We orphans need to stick together!" After brunch, they exchanged their gifts usual, and then spent the rest of the morning and afternoon watching old movies and eating popcorn until both their stomachs protested. Uryuu made Orihime a new winter hat and gave a gift certificate for a local mechanic so that she could 'finally fix one of the million things that was wrong with her car.' Orihime graciously accepted, although she managed to admonish Uryuu for spending so much money on her. He always managed to outdo her gifts and it normally made Orihime incredibly uncomfortable or embarrassed that she could not spend as much as him on his gifts. This year though (at the last minute) she had dug into her savings and bought him a ticket for a Mediterranean Cruise, which he cheerfully accepted, bragging that he would soon be swimming in the clear Aegean seas while Orihime would be stuck in the city's freezing cold.

It was dark by the time Orihime managed to drag herself off Uryuu's comfortable couch and get home to get ready for the Kuchiki-Kurosaki Christmas dinner. She opted for a dark red dress made of a cotton-wool blend and black tights. The dress managed to appear like crushed velvet, despite its warmer and more practical intentions. Her gold locket and black knee-high boots finished off her simple outfit, which she had hoped would be festive enough to make up for her lack of Christmas cheer. Orihime even managed to find a pair of glittery green bobby pins to hold back her bangs.

Cocktail hour was well underway by the time Orihime arrived at the Kuchiki-Kurosaki residence. She had been the last to arrive, following Chad, Uryuu, the Kurosaki twins and Isshin, and Tatsuki and Renji (who everyone noted came together in the same car). Yuzu was in the kitchen with Rukia, putting the finishing touches on the Christmas dinner and Chad and Karin had volunteered to set the table. After Orihime had put away her coat and made the usual salutations, she got herself a glass of red wine and made her way to the family room where everyone else was hanging out. Isshin sat by the fireplace, puffing away at a cigar, and giving Ichigo advice on 'fatherhood.' Uryuu sat in one of the upholstered chairs sipping away at a scotch and laughing at Isshin's advice, while Renji and Tatsuki sat on the couch with a couple of beers, engaged in their own private conversation. As Orihime was about to slide into the other upholstered chair the doorbell rang.

"Who could that be?" Tatsuki asked. "Did you guys invite someone else?"

"Ah…I'm not sure…" Ichigo said, raising his eyebrows in surprise.

"I'll get it," Orihime said getting up.

"No, no. I'll get it," Ichigo said begrudgingly as he started to stand up.

"It's okay, I'm already up," Orihime said, giving Ichigo a reassuring smile. She made her way to the front door with her glass of wine in her hand, absently thinking about her dress. She had forgotten how much she liked the way it flattered her figure. Her admiration of how her dress's flouncy bottom hem swished back and forth across her knees distracted her from immediately seeing the guest as she opened the door. Looking up from her dress, Orihime gasped loudly in shock and dropped her wine glass when she saw who was standing there. The glass shattered with a loud crash, alerting everyone else in the house of the surprise.

Before Orihime stood Ulquiorra, clad in his winter black peacoat, dress shirt with a green tie, and shiny black shoes. His leather gloved hand held a bottle of wine with an adorning red bow, and his face looked completely unfazed by Orihime's reaction. They stared at each other in complete silence for several minutes until the irregular thumping footsteps of an approaching pregnant woman alerted them back to public decorum.

"What happened?" Rukia asked as she walked up from behind Orihime.

"Ah…my apologies− I didn't mean to scare Dr. Inoue. I guess she must be a little jumpy tonight," Ulquiorra said calmly as he handed Rukia his bottle of wine. Orihime's face turned bright red and she swore she could feel steam blowing out of her ears with irritation at his sardonic remark. Rukia accepted Ulquiorra's gift without noticing Orihime's glare, her gazed distracted by the shattered wine glass on her front steps.

"I'm sorry, Rukia," Orihime said through gritted teeth. "I didn't realize you had invited a special guest."

"Why is that a surprise? I told you Ulquiorra was invited," Rukia said lightly, turning around and calling for her husband. "ICHIGO!"

"Ah…Mrs. Kurosaki called and invited me yesterday," Ulquiorra quickly explained, wishing the two women could just step aside and let him enter the warm house.

"It's actually Kuchiki-Kurosaki, but you can just call me Rukia" Rukia corrected him politely, giving him a welcoming smile. "Do come in! It's freezing outside." Rukia gently pushed a still shocked Orihime to the side, giving Ulquiorra space to enter the house. Orihime's wide grey eyes could not leave Ulquiorra's face as he walked past her into the house's foyer.

"What's going on?" Ichigo said as he answered Rukia's call.

"Darling, could you get a broom and clean this up?" Rukia asked sweetly. "Let me get you a drink, Professor Schi− "

"Ulquiorra, please," he said with an awkward wave of his hand. "No need for formalities at this point."

"Haha, yes, you're right. So what can I get you to drink?" Rukia asked, her voice fading away as she led Ulquiorra into the house. Ichigo shut the front door and gave Orihime an odd look.

"You okay? You look like you've seen a ghost…" He said as he carefully stepped around the broken glass in order to reach the hall closet.

"What is he doing here?" Orihime hissed now that Ulquiorra was gone.

"You didn't invite him?" Ichigo asked with large innocent brown eyes.

"No, I didn't invite him!"

"Oh…well then who did?" Ichigo replied, dumbfounded.

"Your wife!" Orihime said, glaring at him with narrowed steel eyes. Ichigo took several steps from the red-head, fearing for his life.

"Woah…I had no knowledge of this. Rukia didn't say anything to me, I swear. Take this up with her," he said as he opened the hall closet and pulled out a broom and dustpan. "Watch where you step, we don't want to break anymore glass. The smaller pieces are always a bitch to clean up, you know? Maybe I should use the vacuum cleaner… Inoue, do you know if…" Ichigo turned to inquire about the best method for cleaning up shattered glass, but found himself alone in the entryway.

Orihime had stalked away furious with Rukia, and for some reason Ichigo as well, for inviting Ulquiorra without so much as a warning. She felt incredibly unprepared to see Ulquiorra standing in the Kuchiki-Kurosaki entryway; she had felt like her heart had stopped beating and the air in her lungs had been punched out of her. What the hell was he doing here? Why the hell would he have ever agreed to come in the first place? Orihime knew Ulquiorra wasn't the biggest fan of her friends or of any kind of social gatherings in general, but for him to arrive at the Kuchiki-Kurosaki dinner after days of not contacting her was unfathomable! Without further delay, she made her way toward the kitchen bar, seeking out another glass of red wine. Her only defense tonight would be lots and lots of alcohol.

She found Rukia chatting away with Ulquiorra in the kitchen as if they were reunited best friends. The sight annoyed the crap out of Orihime as she marched up to them and grabbed the opened bottle of cabernet from Rukia's hand. Ulquiorra tried his best to hide his smile of amusement at Orihime's clear distress. "Careful, Dr. Inoue, we wouldn't want any more broken glasses," he teased.

"Oh, it's quite alright. These wine glasses are nothing fancy: Ikea!" Rukia explained as she began to walk away from the couple. The tension in the room was growing fast and Rukia had no intention of standing in between two quarreling lovers.

"Where are you going, Rukia?" Orihime's sweet voice called out as her claw of death reached out and grabbed the pregnant woman's shoulder. "Shouldn't you stay by Professor Schiffer's side and entertain him? He does seem to be tonight's special guest."

"Everyone's a special guest tonight, Orihime," Rukia said nonchalantly, prying off Orihime's fingers with ease. "Plus I have to check on how dinner preparations are coming along." And with that, the former shinigami slipped away from the warring couple.

Ulquiorra watched Orihime carefully as she poured herself a generous glass of red wine. She looked lovely in her red dress− a color that he had always imagined would be difficult for a red-head to pull off. As usual, her face seemed to glow with an inner beauty that reminded him of angels and saints, despite the steel-grey eyes that could cut into any man's soul. "You look lovely tonight," he commented casually as he took a sip of his scotch.

Orihime tried to meet his emerald gaze with as much disdain as she could possibly muster, but it was hard to maintain a cold demeanor with a man as handsome as Ulquiorra. His dark long eyelashes framed his piercing green eyes and his lips were curled in a derisive half-smile; he seemed almost arrogant, pleased with himself for being able to incite such a strong response from her. Orihime searched her mind for something clever, witty, and caustic to say but instead found herself flustered and unprepared for conversation with him. With no other kind of defense, Orihime turned on her heel and walked out of the kitchen without sparing Ulquiorra any words.

She stomped into the living room and over to Uryuu who stood by the fireplace, gazing distantly into the roaring flames. He leaned casually against the mantel, while absently swirling his glass of scotch in his hand. Orihime forced a smile as she stepped up to him. "Hey stranger, you look lost in thought. What are you thinking about?"

Uryuu returned her smile as he stood up and stuffed his free hand into his pant pocket.

"Nothing…just thinking about what my father would be doing right now. He'd probably be on the phone with some business partner while carving the Christmas turkey," Uryuu remarked dryly.

"Sounds like Ryuuken," Orihime gave a short laugh as she too gazed into the blazing fire. She had always loved fireplaces and everything they represented…warmth, home, people gathering and sharing time and stories together…but tonight she felt intimidated by the flames and the way they seemed to leap at her. Ichigo had meant to build a fire that wouldn't need too much attention, but it seemed like this fire was roaring out of control.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a monster," Uryuu asked, frowning with concern.

"Ulquiorra's here," Orihime muttered. He raised an eyebrow of surprise.

"And from the look on your face that's a bad thing? Huh…I had wondered who was at the door earlier…you didn't invite him?" Uryuu asked.

"No," Orihime sighed dejectedly. "Rukia did…"

"Ah…" Uryuu nodded with understanding. "Yeah, she does like to spring surprises on all of us around the holidays. Remember last year? She randomly invited one of her fellow teachers from her school as a blind date for Chad." Orihime couldn't help but genuinely laugh at the memory.

"Haha, yeah…poor Chad didn't know he was being set up!"

"Yeah, well I guess she's outdone herself this year," Uryuu commented, sipping his scotch.

"Uryuu…can I ask you a question?" Orihime began slowly. He looked at her and nodded without saying anything. "You don't have to answer it if it's too hard, but…what was the hardest part of letting go…you know, when we broke up?"

"Uh…hmm, uhm," Uryuu paused, clearing his throat as he looked away from her. "Let me think here…I guess part of it was mourning over what could have been…you know…the lost of a future that I had believed in and wanted so badly. I had this vision of what we'd be like…you know, you in your white dress on our wedding day, our kids running and playing in our backyard, us growing old together. I always think most of what hurts about a breakup isn't actually losing the person, but losing that dream you'd built together."

"I'm sorry…I guess I took that dream away from you…" Orihime said sadly, looking away from Uryuu.

"Don't be sorry, dear. It wasn't your dream and you could never spend the rest of your life chasing after mine. You needed to find your own way to happiness." Uryuu said lightly as he glanced over to toward the kitchen entryway at the dark haired man who was now chatting with a young Yuzu Kurosaki. "Hmm, I wonder what those two are talking about…"

Orihime followed Uryuu's gaze and narrowed her eyes at the sight of Yuzu giggling uncontrollably over something Ulquiorra had just said.

"What is he doing talking to her?" Orihime whispered furiously. Uryuu glanced at his friend curiously and noticed the jealous glimmer in her silver eyes.

"Oh please, Yuzu talks to everyone. She's a friendly girl," he muttered taking a sip of his scotch and rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, she's looking very friendly," Orihime replied, scrutinizing the facial expressions on the young Kurosaki girl's face. She was unable to see his face since he had his back to her, but Orihime didn't miss the way Yuzu stared up adoringly at Ulquiorra with her hands clasped together in front of her like she was about to wish upon a star. Orihime was just about to remark on the way Yuzu was looking at him when Rukia interrupted her train of thought.

"DINNER'S READY! EVERYONE TO THE DINNING ROOM!" Her loud voice boomed. Everyone collected their drinks and slowly made their way toward the dining room.

"Do you think she's cute?" Orihime asked Uryuu in a hushed whisper as she followed him.

"Who?"

"Yuzu."

"What? Orihime, that's like asking me if I think my sister is cute!" Uryuu cried.

"Shh…!" Orihime said, grabbing Uryuu's arm and pulling him into the dark hallway leading toward the bathroom and laundry room. "I have a hard time believing that. As long as you're not blood related, men will consider any female."

"That's a bit unfair, don't you think?" Uryuu said raising an eyebrow. "And why are we standing here in the dark when there's hot food out there on the dinner table."

"Oh come on, it's all about the young college girls isn't it?" Orihime berated.

"What in the world are you talking about? I can barely tell half the time if those girls are legal or not."

"Oh does that ever stop men? It didn't stop Chad from dating Karin," Orihime snapped.

"What?"

"Oh, nevermind!" She said, turning around and crossing her arms over her chest, huffing with frustration.

"Okay…Orihime, you're being really irrational…"

Orihime sighed loudly as she began to pace the hallway. Uryuu stuck his hands in his pockets and watched his friend with a concerned look on his face.

"Orihime…what's wrong? Is this about Chad and Karin, which you'll have to explain to me in a second, or is this about Ulquiorra? One minute you look like you're terrified of him and the next minute you're jealous of him just talking to Yuzu." He gently grabbed her arm, stopping her from pacing. Orihime finally looked at him, her silver eyes were filled with tears.

"That's the problem…I don't know what I feel for him. One minute he's the scariest person in the world and the next minute…I don't know…when I'm away from him I miss him so much and then when I saw him tonight I felt like my heart had stopped." She swallowed, her mouth feeling dry and her throat itchy. "I felt like I wanted to run away as fast as possible."

Uryuu stared at her perplexed by her nervous state before he reached up and brushed a tear off her cheek and then pulled her into a hug. "Orihime, I don't know what happened when you guys were in New York, but whatever it is…you can tell me."

She pulled away from him, rubbing her eyes and holding back a sob. "No, I can't…you wouldn't understand…I can't even put into words what it is…you know how usually you have this gut instinct that tells you what to do in situations?"

"Yeah…" He said slowly as he grabbed her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, telling her to go on.

"I've always trusted my gut instincts, always. In all the moments of my life when I didn't know what to do, I always went with what I felt was right. But now…suddenly…I feel like I have two gut instincts. I know that sounds weird, but I feel like there are two different instincts inside me: one telling me to run for my life and another one telling me that I need him and he needs me." She shook her head, almost unsure of what she had managed to confess. "I don't know what to do…who to trust, the part of me that is telling me to run or the part of me that's telling me to stay."

"It sounds like a normal fight or flight response, Orihime," Uryuu said, grabbing her other hand. He pulled both her hands up to his mouth and gave her knuckles a short kiss. "It happens to the best of us when we're afraid."

"But what do I do?" Orihime said.

"Hey guys, what's the hold up? Dinner's ready and Rukia's about to…" Ichigo said, poking his head into the hallway. The two friends' heads turned and stared at Ichigo. "Uh…sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt…"

"It's okay, it's nothing. We're coming," Orihime said quickly, brushing away her remaining tears. Ichigo nodded and turned to leave. "Uryuu, can you go and tell them I'll be out in a minute? I just need to use the restroom and freshen up."

"Okay," he said reluctantly, giving her hands one last squeeze before he left. Orihime slipped into the bathroom and closed the door behind her. After washing her face with cold water and taking several deep breaths, she managed to find the courage to return to the dining room.

By the time she had arrived at the dinner table, conversation was well underway with the clinking and clanging of silverware and dishes. Ichigo passed along a plate of turkey to Rukia who sat next to him, while Tatsuki was whispering something in Renji's ear as he gobbled away at his food. To her great disdain, the only remaining seat at the dinner table was between Ulquiorra and Uryuu. She tried to avoid looking at her former lover as she pulled out her chair and sat down.

"So, Professor Schiffer said that he might be teaching a class this Spring semester and that he'd let me audit the class even though I'm already taking a full course load," Yuzu said, grinning uncontrollably, her pink face flushed.

"Since when did you have an interest in philosophy, Yuzu?" Karin remarked dryly without looking up from her dinner plate as she delicately cut her piece of turkey.

"Well my friend Betty's TA Rei has been talking nonstop ever since everyone heard Professor Schiffer's joining the faculty."

"You've joined the University faculty?" Isshin interrupted with a raised eyebrow, staring straight at the former Espada man. "Permanently?"

"Just temporarily," Ulquiorra replied, unfazed by the older Kurosaki's intimidating tone and clearly distracted by Orihime's new presence. His green eyes didn't leave her face as he spoke to Isshin. "It's an emeritus professorship."

"What's the big deal about him joining the faculty temporarily?" Tatsuki asked, unimpressed.

"Professor Schiffer is well known in his field for being the best at what he does," Chad explained patiently as he were talking to a child. "He has received several important awards," the brawny man said as he took a sip of his white wine.

"Hmph, it seems we have a celebrity in our midst then," Rukia said, offering Ulquiorra a friendly smile.

"Hardly," Ulquiorra scoffed as he twirled his fork in his hand, unable to look up from his full plate of food. "I'm just a man who sits around all day doing nothing but occasionally writing something."

"Well not just anyone can write," Renji pointed out.

"Yeah, this one here can barely sign his name," Tatsuki added, pointing at Renji.

"I actually haven't written anything in a long time," Ulquiorra said humbly.

"So why would they invite you here?" Karin asked quickly.

"Karin!" Yuzu exclaimed, scowling at her sister.

"Because what he has achieved so far in his career is more than what most accomplish in a lifetime," Chad explained, turning to the young dark haired girl and giving her a meaningful glance.

"How do you know so much about all this, young man?" Isshin asked Chad, chewing loudly on a turkey drumstick.

"Chad was a philosophy major, dad," Ichigo said, rolling his eyes. "You knew that."

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Isshin said jovially. "You've always been a bright one, Chad!"

"Of course he's smart dad. Just because he owns a bar doesn't mean he doesn't have a brain," Ichigo said.

"Well put, Kurosaki," Uryuu remarked dryly, shaking his head at Ichigo.

"So, Ulquiorra has done more in less time than most men his age. That's incredible. You've only been human for…what? Twelve years?" Rukia remarked.

"Ah…" Ulquiorra started to respond before Tatsuki cut him off.

"Yeah, how does that work exactly? Are you a human forever now? Or does Soul Society eventually send you back to Hueco Mundo?" Tatsuki asked. The dinner table was quiet for a moment, except for the sounding of chewing. Finally, Ulquiorra responded, his gaze not leaving his plate.

"Yes," he said quietly. "We are humans until we die. Our fate is the same as other humans."

"What have the other former Espada been up to?" Rukia asked, trying to steer the conversation away from potential dangerous topics.

"I don't know much about their lives," Ulquiorra said, as he began cutting his turkey into smaller pieces.

"Come on, Rukia," Karin said to her sister-in-law. "Everyone knows about Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez is a famous football player, Szayel Aporro Granz is a stem-cell researcher, and Nnoitra Gilga is in that heavy metal band…Santa Teresa."

"How do you know all these things?" Ichigo said, amazed.

"I watch the news and TV," Karin shrugged. "Where've you been?"

"Well, I've been too busy being pregnant to know these things," Rukia said, trying her best to stay pleasant with her sarcastic sister-in-law.

"I once heard Nnoitra say in an interview that he hates humanity and everything that it stands for," Tatsuki added.

"How unfortunate for him that he has to be part of humanity; it must piss the hell out of him," Uryuu grinned at the thought.

"I heard he does coke all the time and once hit one of his fans over the head with his mic stand," Karin said, unable to suppressed a smile.

"Why must you be unkind?" Chad asked quietly, watching the young dark-haired college girl. Isshin and Ichigo raised their eyebrows hearing Chad directly address Karin, before either of them could say anything though, Rukia changed the subject.

"And what about the rest of the gang? What have they been up to?" Rukia asked.

"Grimmjow got suspended last week for punching out one of the opposing team's linebackers," Tatsuki shared, unable to suppress the glee she felt from knowing so much about the other Espada.

"How do you know these things?" Renji asked.

"I know all things sports related, stupid," Tatsuki replied.

"Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck is a freelance graphic designer and Starrk owns a Casino business, I believe," Ulquiorra explained to Rukia who had been staring at him, ignoring the two gossiping girls and waiting for an answer to her question.

"And the rest? Weren't there ten?" Yuzu asked with large interested eyes.

"The rest were killed in the war," Ulquiorra said, clearing his throat and avoiding eye contact with the other people at the dinner table. He was clearly becoming uncomfortable with the subject matter.

"Oh…sorry," Yuzu said, staring at the somber man across the table for her.

"No matter," he shrugged as he forced himself to continue eating the meal.

"How's the baby been, Rukia?" Orihime asked out of the blue. Ulquiorra glanced over at the woman, unable to suppress the look of relief and gratefulness on his face for the change of subject.

"Oh, he or she has been a handful lately! Kicking me all the time! I think the baby is really ready to come out," Rukia exclaimed, unconsciously putting a hand on her large belly. The conversation quickly moved from being all about Ulquiorra to being all about the new baby, much to the former Espada's relief.

Throughout the night, conversation seemed to continuously oscillate between interrogating Ulquiorra and the other Espada's about their human lives and discussing the new baby. Ulquiorra had to remind himself several times why he had agreed to come that night in the first place. He was there that night for one purpose and he was determined to accomplish it. He was there for Orihime. His gaze never seemed to want to leave her beautiful glowing face. He was transfixed by her grace and poise. He knew that she was deeply upset with him and he had known that his appearance at the Christmas dinner would surprise her, but her composure seemed to hide all these feelings. There were hints, here and there, of her simmering anger, but she kept it quietly at bay for most of the evening.

Orihime barely talked, and when she did it was to politely steer conversation away from topics that were clearly making Ulquiorra uncomfortable. He could have interpreted her actions as a sign of her affection, but he knew what it felt like when she displayed the full power of her emotions. He remembered what it was like to have those sparkling grey eyes focused on him, making him feel like he was the only man in the room. He remembered the calm he felt inside when he heard her laugh or managed to somehow make her smile. Those emotions, no matter how new, were familiar. Her facial expressions, the tone of her voice, the angle of her body, all were clues that told him that she wasn't feeling anything close to affection for him. As the evening progressed, he began to wonder if he'd ever feel that warmth inside his soul ever again. She refused to meet his eyes during the meal and never directly spoke to him. The few times he tried to ask her a question, she managed to pull out a reasonable answer, without engaging in any kind of emotional interchange with him. Her friends were all too willing to come quickly to her aid, diverting Ulquiorra's attention away from Orihime with another mundane question about his job or about Grimmjow's NFL record or Nnoitra's new album.

Orihime was not unaware of Ulquiorra's attentions, often catching him staring at her or trying to engage her in conversation, but she forced herself to ignore him. It took all of her strength to sit beside him and maintain her normal behavior. She was dying inside to hit him over the head and ask him why he hadn't called her or spill wine on his lap for the way he had behaved in New York. If she had been younger, she might have had fewer inhibitions about publically displaying her emotions, but she was an adult now and she had already maxed out her one public emotional-scream fest for the season; And so, Orihime smiled, nodded, asked, answered, and explained her way through dinner.

By the time dessert and coffee were being offered, Orihime felt emotionally exhausted. She knew she could not keep up the charade much longer. Five more minutes with Ulquiorra and she would begin to lose her rational-self. _A quick exit, that's what I need!_ Orihime thought to herself as she sought out Rukia, who had just left the living room where everyone was gathered, for the bathroom.

"Rukia!" Orihime whispered as she chased the pregnant woman down the dark hallway. Rukia turned around at the sound of her voice.

"Orihime? Why are you whispering?" Rukia asked as she paused outside the bathroom door.

"I think I'm gonna get going…thanks for dinner. It was such a lovely meal," Orihime began, preparing to negotiate over how long she had to stay before she would be released from the Kuchiki-Kurosaki household. To her surprise, Rukia did not protest.

"I figured you'd want to leave as soon as possible," she said gently, reaching up and giving her friend's shoulder a squeeze. "I know you were uncomfortable during dinner. I'm so sorry. I hadn't realized how bad…er…awkward things were between you two. I thought if I invited him you guys might make up. I was meddling, and I shouldn't have doing that," Rukia said, frowning with regret.

"It's okay, Rukia. You couldn't have known," Orihime said as she gave her friend a hug. "I hope I didn't make an awkward situation even more awkward than it needed to be."

"No! You were the epitome of good behavior tonight. I think there are definitely some people who may need a few lessons from you on how to be polite," Rukia replied.

"Haha, could you be talking about a pair of dark-haired former tomboys?" Orihime said, reveling at the memory of Tatsuki and Karin's hostile attitudes.

"Was it that obvious?" Rukia said, laughing.

"I'm glad Chad and Karin are dating. He'll be good for her! Maybe his positivity will rub off on her?" Orihime wondered.

"What?" Rukia said, her face turning serious.

"Oh! You don't know? NEVERMIND!" Orihime said as she whirled around and rushed away. She scampered down the hall toward the front door, and ripped open the closet door, pulling out her coat, scarf, and purse.

"Hey! Wait! Tell me more!" Rukia cried as she chased the red head down the hall.

"Nope, sorry! Talk to you tomorrow, Rukia. MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Orihime cheered as she opened the front door and skipped out. The ruckus was overheard in the living room, where a few people gave alarmed faces and others wandered over to the doorway to see what was going on.

"What's the deal?" Ichigo said as he walked over.

"Uh…" Rukia paused, knowing that the piece of information she had just heard was not to be taken lightly. _Ichigo would freak out if he knew! _She thought to herself, and fumbled for something to say. "Uh…nothing! Orihime just had to go…she says good bye and Merry Christmas to everyone," Rukia said, stepping in front of her husband and pushing him back toward the living room.

"Orihime left?" Uryuu asked as he leaned against the living room doorway and raised an eyebrow. "Without saying good bye to everyone?"

"Yeah, she wasn't feeling well," Rukia lied, pushing Ichigo into the living room and collecting Uryuu as she went. "She said she'd call you tomorrow." Rukia sighed with exhaustion from the effort it took to push two men. It had been a long night of cooking, hosting, entertaining…she hadn't realized how tired she had become. Out of her corner of her eye, she saw Ulquiorra stand up suddenly and rush out of the room. The sound of the coat closet rustling and the front door opening and shutting told them that he too had decided it was time to leave. "What a night!" Rukia said as she walked over to one of the chairs and flopped down.

Orihime was almost to her car when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned and was prepared to give one of her friends (probably Rukia or Uryuu) a firm but warm good night but stopped when she saw Ulquiorra approaching. He threw on his coat as he briskly walked down the sidewalk toward her. "What are you doing?" She asked, dumbfounded.

"You weren't going to say good bye to me?" He replied calmly, trying his best to mask the hurt he felt just by asking that one little question.

"I didn't know I needed to," Orihime said as she crossed her arms. His green eyes stared at her hauntingly, but he stayed silent until he reached her. Orihime held back the instinct to turn and run away from him.

"It would be the civil thing to do," he murmured as he stuffed his hands into his pant pockets and stared at the ground. Orihime waited long enough until the silence became awkward and he finally looked back up at her.

"Good bye, Professor Schiffer," she said, holding his gaze meaningfully before turning around. She hadn't even taken two steps before she felt a hand on her wrist.

He had expected cold ice in her eyes when she turned to face him again. He had expected steel, cutting into him. He had felt her anger vibrating between them all evening, and now in the open air she had the opportunity to unleash the full capacity of her hostility on him. But what he saw did not come close to anything hostile. Her large grey eyes were shadowy in the dark, but they were vulnerable and scared and they left him aching inside.

"Please don't," she whispered, unable to pull herself away from him. He let go of her hand, reaching up and gently taking her chin in between his thumb and index finger. He held her captive there, with the lightest touch, and she couldn't make herself move as he leaned in and captured her lips. His kiss was as soft has her whisper had been, but it sent lightening through her body. It was just a kiss, just a touch, but it made her want to weep. She would have fallen to the ground if he hadn't stopped there. Pulling back, he held her silver gaze and wondered to himself what it is about her that made a grown man want to beg. When he finally spoke, his hot breath across her lips temporarily clouded her thoughts, making his request barely audible.

"Marry me," he said in a low and breathless voice.

* * *

Thanks for reading! Leave a review if you feel inclined :)


	15. Chapter 15: The Third Confession

**Chapter 15: The Third Confession**

Her body took several seconds to process his request. His close proximity, the ambient heat of his body in the cold winter night, the brilliance of his green eyes, and the lingering sensation of his kiss made his proposal sound like a dream. Her eyes felt heavy and in that one second between dream and reality, she managed to feel peaceful in her shock. She looked away from him and took a step away, trying to get some fresh air.

He watched her carefully, waiting for a blink, a sigh, anything to indicate some kind of reaction to his request. She seemed to be staring off into nothing and he began to wonder if she had heard him at all to begin with. She finally looked back up at him, blinking several times as if she wasn't sure if he was really standing there. Then, without warning or reason, Orihime stepped up to Ulquiorra and slapped him hard across the cheek.

The slap was loud, cracking and echoing in the silence of night time in suburbia. Ulquiorra's head snapped at the contact, and though the slap itself was only a second, the lingering burn of the pain afterward surprised him. She had slapped him once before. It was the second strongest memory he had of her. The first was, of course, when she reached out to him as he thought he was dying. He remembered the feeling he had inside of him, as his body was disintegrating, when she reached out to him and told him she was not afraid of him. The third strongest memory was when he had found her traveling between Soul Society and the human world. He wanted to show his power, his quick speed, his ruthlessness and so he slaughtered her attendants, hoping to scare her into submission. She did not react the way he had expected though. She never did. She was defiant, angry, and most of all, brave. She had accepted her fate, and that was when he had quietly begun to admire her character.

Memories of all his moments with Orihime swirled around in Ulquiorra's brain as his cold cheek began to numb from the pain. The fourth strongest memory: when he broke out of Caja Negacion and saw her standing alone in the throne room. The fifth strongest memory: when she put up her shield for Ichigo during their final fight. The sixth strongest memory: when he found her with Grimmjow and Nel, healing Ichigo. These memories were strong and bright in his mind. He only needed to close his eyes to be taken back to where those moments had taken place. The memory of his existence as a hollow had been fading away ever since he had become human. He was beginning to remember less and less what it felt like to eat a soul or to kill in the name of Aizen, but he could not erase those early memories he had with Orihime. They were what had carried him through the past twelve years. Those memories were the torch that told him there was a reason why he was living out this sentence. The reason was standing right in front of him, and surprisingly (as she had always been) that reason's response to his proposal was to slap him.

He stared at her, rubbing his red cheek. He was breathing heavily and his heart was racing for some reason; maybe it was the adrenaline shock of the moment or the flashback of memories…or probably both. The first time she slapped him, it had barely felt like a tickle. This slap, however, hurt…in more ways than one. After the deafening silence, she was the first to speak.

"ARE YOU CRAZY?" Orihime screamed. Her voice echoed through the caverns of the quiet suburb. Somewhere in Orihime's mind she registered that she might have just woken up the entire neighborhood, but she didn't care. His proposal was just beginning to sink in and she was reeling from just the idea of it.

"No, I am not." Ulquiorra stared straight at her as he let go of his cheek and stuffed his hands back in his pockets. He maintained his distance for his own physical safety. His face was as dead serious as the day he had told her to come with him or else her friends would die.

"You can't be serious!" Orihime yelled− this time her voice was not as loud as her previous exclamation but still loud enough to warrant rustling noises from the front of Kuchiki-Kurosaki house.

"Inoue? Is everything alright?" Chad asked from the door. Orihime turned around at the voice, gasping in surprise. Chad had heard the yelling above the loud noise of the Christmas party inside. Everyone had been engaged in a heated game of charades when Chad heard Orihime's voice over the yelling and shouting. He had always had a keen sense of hearing; it came from years of owning a bar and needing to be able to hear important things over loud music and crowds.

"Yes! Everything's fine. Ulquiorra and I are just talking about….stuff," Orihime said, wishing desperately once more that she was better at making stuff up at the last minute.

"I told her what I got her for her Christmas present. Dr. Inoue just got a little excited," Ulquiorra quickly explained. Chad gave him a skeptical look before he looked back at Orihime and silently waited for her response.

"Uh…yes. That's why I was screaming, hahaha!" Orihime forced the world's fakest sounding laugh. She really wished Ulquiorra was closer so she could give him a discrete punch in the shoulder or a kick in the shin. How the hell did he always manage to be so sarcastic and bait her into irritation at the same time?

"Yeah, Ulquiorra told me that he got me two carat diamond studs for my Christmas present! And I don't own any diamonds so I got a little too excited. I'm sorry it disturbed the neighborhood and you, Chad. No worries though, everything is fine! In fact, I'm taking Ulquiorra home so he can give me those diamonds right away!" Orihime stomped over to where Ulquiorra was standing and grabbed his arm. Dragging him away toward her car, she looked over her shoulder at Chad and blasted him her biggest smile possible, all gums and teeth. "Good night, Chad! Merry Christmas!"

As Orihime pulled Ulquiorra toward her car, she could hear the front door open and close again. Mentally crossing her fingers, Orihime hoped that it had been the sound of Chad going back inside instead of another friend coming outside. She recognized that overprotective look in Chad's eye, and there was no way in hell that even Ulquiorra's clever lies would convince Chad to back off. Perhaps if it were Ichigo or Renji…or even Uryuu! But Chad could sniff a lie from a mile away and he would never go back inside unless he was confident Orihime was safe. She had no other choice. It was either take Ulquiorra away so they could finish their conversation elsewhere or stay there and face the scrutiny of her friends; and after the tension filled dinner, Orihime didn't need any more inquiries from them.

"Wait. We'll take my car," Ulquiorra said, fishing in his pocket for his keys.

"You have a car now? Since when did you have a car?" Orihime asked, surprised. From the corner of her eye she could see Chad and Karin both watching from the front stoop. Seeing that she and Ulquiorra were now engaged in a mundane conversation about cars, they went back inside without saying anything else.

"Thank god it was Karin and not any of the other people inside that house!" Orihime gushed, letting out a breath she didn't realize she had been holding. "Chad and Karin are the only two people out of that bunch who know how to respect privacy…although I suppose they have their own reasons for that now…"

Ulquiorra was already crossing the street to a parked black vintage-looking Mercedes, and for some reason Orihime found herself following him without protesting.

"I like Chad," Ulquiorra commented, as he unlocked the car doors.

Orihime stared at him stunned while Ulquiorra sat down in the driver's side seat.

"Really?" Orihime asked, shocked. Ulquiorra didn't reply as he fastened his seatbelt. She could not get past all the surprises she had gone through that evening. Orihime had never heard Ulquiorra admit that he liked anyone, not his coworkers, friends, or even herself. Sure, Ulquiorra had confessed several times in many ways that he wanted her, enjoyed her, perhaps even found her amusing; but he had never come right out and said he _liked_ her.

_This is ridiculous! _Orihime thought to herself as she sat down in the car, buckling her seatbelt._ Here he is proposing to me and he's never even once said that he likes me, __let alone say that he loves me!_

"I got it yesterday," Ulquiorra said as he started the car engine.

"What?" Orihime blinked, confused.

"You asked when I got the car. I got it yesterday," Ulquiorra explain as he put the car in drive.

"Well that's nice, good for you. That doesn't explain why we have to take your car," Orihime whined, unconsciously pouting.

"Because I don't want to be in that death trap vehicle of yours," Ulquiorra said dispassionately, keeping his eyes on the road. He was clearly steering them out of the suburbs and back toward the city.

"Could you just take me back to my car? I really don't want to be without my car again," Orihime begged. Ulquiorra, unable to maintain his usual self control, rolled his eyes at her.

"You were only without your car for that one night; get over it," Ulquiorra said shortly. Despite the fact that Ulquiorra's face revealed absolutely no emotion, Orihime could hear that there was an edge to his voice. Realizing that she was being childish about being without her car, she sighed and decided to drop the issue.

They drove in silence for a while, each of them taking in the cool crisp Christmas night. They were far out enough from the city that twinkling stars were visible in the indigo sky. Having lived in the city for her entire life, Orihime often forgot to look up at the night sky. She sometimes forgot stars even existed. Whenever she was out in the country at night, often when she was visiting Uryuu, she was always feel awestruck by the beauty of the faraway cosmos.

"The sky's so pretty tonight," Orihime commented quietly, staring out the passenger side window.

"There's supposed to be a fast incoming blizzard," Ulquiorra informed her. She shot him a glare for giving her the bad news.

"Thanks, I guess I'll have to savor the sight while I can," she muttered.

"It is why I did not think it would be safe to drive home with your car tonight. We are far out from the city," Ulquiorra pointed out.

"Oh," Orihime managed to say. After a quiet pause she asked, "This is a nice car. Do you know how it does in the snow?"

"The owner said it does very well," he replied.

"Was it expensive?"

"Depends on what you consider expensive. It is an older model, but it serves its purpose," he said simply.

"I love older cars! I think they have character," Orihime said, releasing an unintended smile at the thought of her little Saab. He didn't have a response for her, and they listened to the hum of the engine for another second before Orihime felt inclined to explain something to him.

"You know…" Orihime began, "I'm really attached to my car because it was the first big thing I ever bought. I've been on my own for so much of my life and I even had to put myself through medical school. When I graduated, I got the car as a gift for myself. It took me a really long time to save for it." She kept her gaze on the passing landscape. She found it was easier to engage in casual conversation if she didn't look at him. His proposal was still on her mind, but she was tired now; the wine was finally going to her head and the emotional strain of the evening had zapped her of any remaining energy.

"I can understand the importance of that," Ulquiorra stated. The Mercedes purred softy as he steered it over the curved roads lined with tall streetlamps. The pink-orange glow of the city lights signaled that they were close to home. Orihime found the heavy silence in the car disturbing, as it forced her to think about the proposal and their relationship. She didn't want to discuss it tonight, Orihime realized. The issue needed its own day, for now she would keep the conversation casual in order to stave off her impending headache.

"How did you pay for the car? Did you have a lot of savings?" Orihime asked.

He gave her a quizzical look and seemed to not understand her question.

"I'm sorry, is that rude question?" Orihime said quickly, not realizing her error. "I wasn't thinking. Some people find talking about money awkward. I guess it's never been a big deal for me though since I've never had very much."

"That's quite an ironic statement," he observed.

"What do you mean?"

"I would think that if you have very little money that it would be a 'big deal,' as you put it. Wouldn't you be busy trying to make your life fit your budget?" Ulquiorra asked.

"Haven't you ever heard the phrase, mo money mo problems?"

Ulquiorra raised his eyebrow at her, taking his eyes off the road for a moment in order to give her an 'are you kidding me?' look.

"It's a song…by P. Diddy…oh never mind, it was probably out before your time…you know, before you became human," Orihime added quickly. Ulquiorra suppressed the urge to roll his eyes at her again and waited a beat before responding to her.

"Actually, the song is credited to the rapped named Notorious B.I.G. It was released after he died and it featured Sean Combs, who then was calling himself Puff Daddy," Ulquiorra said in his usual deadpan manner.

"Why do you have to know everything?" Orihime huffed, trying to turn her pout into a scowl but failing miserably.

"Hmph…" was the only thing he said, as a corner of his lip turned upward into the beginnings of a half-smile.

The rest of the car ride home was uneventful, each of them making side comments every now and then and the other making polite responses. They were both tired, recognizing the toll the evening had taken on them both. Orihime hadn't had enough wine to experience its benefits but she did have enough to experience its downfalls: sleepiness and headaches. By the time they pulled up to her apartment building, she could hear her bed calling out to her. As she got out of the car, she noticed Ulquiorra killing the engine and hopping out to join her.

"You don't have to walk me in," Orihime said, eyeing him cautiously. "If that blizzard is really coming then you should probably get home."

"I'm not leaving without finishing our conversation," he said plainly as he followed her to the apartment building's front door. Orihime paused before pulling out her keys and going inside.

"Ulquiorra, can we talk about this another day or night? I'm really exhausted," she tried her best not to think back to the last time she pleaded with him for sleep.

"I will not touch you," he said calmly, holding her gaze when she looked up at him with fearful eyes. "And I will leave when we are done talking." He didn't need to promise or give his word that he would do as he claimed; she didn't need the reassurance, her gut instinct said to trust him. It was Christmas night, and even though within a couple of hours it would be over, the spirit of the holiday called on her to give him a chance.

"Okay," she relented as she opened the door for them both. They entered the dark hallway of the apartment building, and Orihime had to ignore the chill that she suddenly felt.

"So where are my diamond earrings?" Orihime joke, trying to keep the atmosphere light. She took off her coat and other winter gear as they made their way to her door.

"What?"

"You know, you said you'd get me diamond earrings!" She chimed as she unlocked the door and then entered the apartment. Mindlessly, she opened the hall closet and started to put away their coats.

"I made no such claim, that was all you," he said quietly, handing her his coat and scarf. "But if you would like a diamond ring, I can get one for you."

The idea of a diamond ring took her breath away for a moment. She paused halfway through her shuffling and stared at him. She secretly was glad he did not get down on one knee and pull out a ring like Uryuu had done. Though she had been able to accept graciously when Uryuu had proposed, Orihime was pretty sure that if Ulquiorra had proposed in the same manner she would have fainted out of shock.

"We can get one as soon as you'd like," he added quickly when she didn't reply. Orihime sighed loudly and walked away from him toward the kitchen.

"I don't want a diamond ring, Ulquiorra. Besides, how can you afford one after you just bought a car," she muttered. She had taken off her boots and her tights-clad feet slipped all over the hardwood floor. "I thought academia didn't pay six figure salaries?"

"Is this the issue we should be discussing right now?" Ulquiorra asked as he followed her into the kitchen. She grabbed the tea kettle from the stove and started filling it with water from the sink's faucet.

"I don't know what we should be discussing right now," Orihime replied with a twinge of bitterness in her voice.

"I would like an answer to my question," he said politely as he leaned against the refrigerator and crossed his arms over his chest. Orihime forced a loud deep breath out of her lungs as she placed the kettle on the stove_. As if the slap wasn't an answer enough for him?_

"Ulquiorra…you don't know what you're asking…" Orihime began as she turned to face him. They had barely begun to discuss the issue and she was already feeling frustrated.

"I know exactly what I'm asking," he snapped, surprising her. He was curt, despite the fact that his voice managed to remain controlled and level.

"You don't even love me," she countered, mimicking his stance by also crossing her arms over her chest. His piercing green eyes locked with her grey ones as he silently stared her down.

Her accusation came as a shock to him, and though he didn't want her to know, it gave him a reason to pause before he could respond. He knew the three words he needed to say; they were on the tip of his tongue, but for some reason he had a difficult time forcing the words out of his mouth.

He fought with his internal self for control and finally managed to quietly say, "You know that I do…"

Orihime frowned, barely hearing his response. "What?"

"I said, I do…" Ulquiorra said again, louder than before. This time, she heard every word, every syllable.

The words silently echoed between them. They hung in the air, tense and expecting. _I do._ Were those words heavier than _I love you_? _I do_ brought images of white wedding gowns, flowers, church bells, and doves. _I love you_ brought to mind sleepless passionate nights and wild escapades in foreign cities. _I love you_ was the wistful present: exciting and exuberant. _I do_ was solemn, heavy, a vow of forever.

She took her time in processing those two little words, _I do_. She could have pushed for _I love you_, but she knew she would not get it from him. Ulquiorra was not a man of romance or sweetness; he was upfront, brutal, and honest. Orihime knew that his _I do_ was heavier than _I love you_.

Yet, she couldn't bring herself to believe it. _No…it can't be real_, Orihime told herself. Where was the proof? He barely knew her. He barely understood her. She barely understood him. Orihime had to be honest with herself, they were two strangers who had fallen in lust quickly; that was all it was. She pushed herself away from the counter she had been leaning on and started to pace back and forth, searching for words.

"Y−You don't know that…" She said, shaking her head. "You don't even know what love is!"

A muscle in Ulquiorra's face twitched. She knew that her accusation stung, but she couldn't revoke it. Orihime stared at him with empty eyes.

"How dare you say that to me," he spat out dispassionately. His voice was now a low and dangerous whisper. His green eyes watched her like a hawk. He waited several seconds for her to respond, but she didn't say anything.

"Is it so _hard _for you to think of me as human?" He finally asked after a long silence.

Orihime's eyes widened immediately. Ulquiorra could tell by the way she quickly averted her gaze that his accusation also stung. So…this is how she saw him… He slowly approached her, moving like a panther approaching its prey. He could tell she was flustered, trying to find a way to respond, but he didn't need her explanation. Silence vibrated between them until he could no longer wait for her words.

"I see…" he finally said. A warm venom of anger blazed through his veins, and Ulquiorra could feel his muscles tightening.

"I'm sorry…" Orihime managed to say, looking into his green eyes with her own tear-glazed silver ones. She backed up from him, but was stopped when she hit the counter behind her.

"What are you sorry for? Are you sorry that you can't see me as anything but the demon who kidnapped you and held you captive for Aizen?" He could see her recoil from his inquisition. She drew up her hands and wrapped them protectively around her arms.

"No− " she began to say before he cut her off.

"No? You don't seem so sure about that... Did you see me as a demon when I took you in my arms? …When I kissed you? …When I was inside of you?"

She gasped at the images his words brought to mind; the memories made her choke on her words, rendering her silent. His low monotone voice, in contrast to his harsh mocking words, made the hair on her skin stand on end. He approached her, now standing only a couple of feet away from her.

"There are times…" he began, watching her carefully and trying to read the emotions on her face. "When I see you looking at me…the same way your friends look at me…fear, wrapped with doubt. It's always brief, always just a few seconds. But I see it."

She could feel the burning guilt inside of her chest and her face grew hot with embarrassment. Of course he had noticed! Ulquiorra was observant…perceptive…discerning. He had always been that way− from the very moment she had met him. He understood her powers immediately and he knew exactly how to manipulate her into surrendering. Her head spun with confusion and she reached over and gripped the counter ledge for balance. From the corner of her eye she saw him move, as if he wanted to touch her, but he didn't. He had promised that he wouldn't.

"What must I do for you? What must I do to _prove_ that I am human? …To prove that blood runs through my veins just like it does in you and all your friends? Would you like me to show you my blood? Cut me open and see my organs?" He asked in a low and quiet tone. Orihime could hear the hurt in his voice.

"Tell me what I must do, Orihime," he continued desperately when she couldn't respond. "Tell me what you want me to do _and I will do it_," he grounded out. Orihime looked at him and could see the tension in his neck, the way his lips tightened into a straight line, and the glassy green eyes that were hypnotizing. It was those achingly beautiful green eyes that made her heart falter.

"It's not that simple," she whispered back. She blinked, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Why can't it be?" He countered, reaching over and putting both hands on the counter ledge, imprisoning her.

"How can you even ask that, Ulquiorra? You know our history," Orihime said desperately, wishing he wouldn't stand so close. She could smell his clean fresh scent, and she fought the urge to lean in and rest her head on his shoulder.

"I have spent every single day…every moment of this human life trying to be worthy of existing. I don't fool myself into thinking I could ever be worthy of you," he said, holding her gaze. "I know I am the last man on earth who could deserve you after all that I've done."

Before Orihime could give it much thought, the words came out on their own.

"I don't know if I can forgive you for all that you've done!" She exclaimed.

He blinked several times at her statement, but otherwise gave no immediate response. He didn't seem angry, offended or even surprised. When he replied, his eyes looked thoughtful, and his words honest.

"I understand," Ulquiorra began. "If you could let me, I will spend the rest of my human existence and even beyond atoning for all the wrong that I have done. I will wait until you are ready to accept me."

His words made her want to laugh and cry at the same time. A small smile broke onto her lips as another tear rolled down her cheek. "Ugh! Ulquiorra! It's not that easy!" She cried.

"I can make it easy," he replied.

"Ugh! You don't understand. You don't make things easier, you make them more difficult, more complicated− and I hate that about you…no, I'm sorry, I don't hate you; I hate that about us," Orihime said, her hands forming small fists that pounded his chest with frustration. He reached up and gently took her fists away from hitting him before placing a kiss on each of her hands.

"I have never understood you. And you have not made my existence easier as well. From the very moment I met you, you've made me question everything I believe in− but it did not stop me. I am still here," Ulquiorra said solemnly. He held her cold fingers in his hands, conducting warmth and energy into them without effort.

She could have taken her time to meditate on his words. She _should_ have taken the time to really consider their meaning, but instead she did what her instincts told her to do; and in that moment, her instincts trusted him. Her hands took on a life of their own, as the spread themselves over his chest, moving upward toward his shoulders and feeling the muscles underneath tense and relax again.

She stared longingly into his tender green eyes, a part of her aching, wishing, begging that life could be as simple as he believed it was. She was so tired of complicated, so tired of excuses and reasons that only confused her even more. She wanted simple. She wanted easy. She wanted him without the history and the emotional baggage.

"Orihime…" he began, but was quieted when she suddenly stood on her tip toes and kissed him. Her hands reached up and wrapped around his neck as she pressed her body up against his. Their lips moved in sync immediately, remembering the familiar pattern of their lovemaking. He had promised he wouldn't touch her, but he couldn't keep the promise any longer. Ulquiorra wrapped his arms around her, pushing her as close to him as possible as he returned her kiss hungrily. His tongue moved forward, forcing her mouth open and plundering for her intoxicating taste. She responded to his need with equal force, her fingers gripping his long dark locks as his hands roamed her back and behind.

The kettle started whistling loudly, startling them both. Ulquiorra pulled away from Orihime long enough to turn off the stove before returning to kiss her. His hands moved south, gripping her soft lush curves that had called out to him all night. She sighed with pleasure as she gave into the dreamy heat. Her limbs felt weak and willing in his arms as he rained kisses over her face. She felt like she was in a trance as his lips passed over the tip of her nose, the curve of her cheek, and the delicate skin of her temple.

"Let me stay…" he whispered longingly, his grip on her tightening with need. His body was already burning to have her, but he didn't want to push his luck. She had already given him too much. Orihime look up at him, her fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt.

"Don't ever go," she managed to say.

His mouth came down on hers, fast and hard, as she started unbuttoning his shirt. They stumbled toward the bedroom, clothes shedding quickly as they grew closer to the bed. First it was his tie, then his shirt, then his belt. When they reached the bed, he had finally managed to unzip her dress, pealing the soft fabric away from her even softer skin until she wore only her bra, panties, and tights. He ran the palms of his hands up the naked skin of her back, mesmerized by its smoothness and grace. She sat down on the bed, pulling him down to her as she stole another kiss. He let her tongue play with his, let her do the exploring and have the power. She was always gentle when she took the reins, taking her time to savor and taste. This time though, she was eager and desperate. She wanted to fight and push away all her doubts and fears. Her body demanded to be with his, and she realized the full extent of how much she had missed him in the past few days. Her lips moved quickly over his jaw, down his neck and over to his shoulder. Her fingers were quick, reaching to unbutton and unzip his pants. When her small hand slid underneath the elastic band of his boxers and curved around his hot arousal, his head fell back onto the pillow and his mind went white. She heard him swear viciously as she began to stroke and tease him, and she heard herself giggle with glee at her newfound power.

She got up on her knees, towering over him as he lay helpless on the bed, watching her every mood with those piercing bright green eyes. She grabbed the waistband of his pants and boxes and slid them both off his body. Her silver eyes danced with humor as she tossed the clothes across the room and then slipped off each of his socks. She could hear his labored breathing and she reveled in making him weak for her. Kneeling over him, acutely aware of how closely he watched her, Orihime reached back and unclasped her bra, tossing it aside. His mouth fell open in awe of her beauty as he helplessly stared at her breasts. She batted away his hand that reached to touch them. "No, not yet," she commanded as she stood up. He stared up at her silently; sweat starting to form on his forehead.

She quickly shed her tights and then her panties, and when she was finally bare she kneeled back down. Her mouth and tongue were hungry as they licked and tasted the skin on his chest, moving down to his toned stomach. The long red locks of her hair accidentally brushed against his aroused penis, and his hips jerked upward, wanting more attention. She giggled again, her hand reaching down and holding his penis in her firm grip. She gave him one last mischievous look with her glittering silver eyes before she lowered her head and took him her mouth. He shut his eyes, grimacing at the blinding pleasure. It felt like every cell in his body had been shocked with electricity. He was at her complete mercy and it took all his control to stay in place for her.

He was hard and hot, throbbing in her hands. Her lips took him in, sucking gently on the salty tip of his penis before sliding more of him into her mouth. Her tongue swirled around the sides as her hand continued to pump up and down on the base. She heard him swear loudly as she felt his hand caressing the top of her head. She tried to take in as much of him as she could, but was stopped when he pushed her off him.

"Enough," he growled as he pushed her back onto the bed. He leaned over her, fitting his body against hers as he lowered his head and began a trail of kisses down her neck. She sighed loudly, feeling drunk with desire. Her legs opened for him, and he entered her in one long stroke. She moaned his named as he began to thrust, her arms wrapped around his neck and her nails digging into his back. He was large, stretching her and filling her completely and her slick warmth welcomed him over and over again. Her legs tightened around his waist as cries of pleasure escaped her mouth.

His brilliant green eyes watched her every move as he moved in and out of her. She held his gaze with her sparkling silver eyes and he was transfixed by her beauty. He reached up and traced her pouty pink lips with his index finger. "God, I love your mouth," he said in a low and dark tone. She moaned in delight, opening her mouth and licking his finger. She took his finger into her mouth suckling him until she heard him groan with an even more desperate need. "Harder," she whispered, her fingers combing through his dark hair before gripping and pulling. "Harder, please, Ulquiorra," she begged.

Gripping her shoulders, he acquiesced, every muscle in his body tensing with need. He could feel her trembling legs and hear her heavy breathing. Her eyes were dilated and her back arched, meeting his every thrust until her senses exploded and she saw stars. She heard herself screaming his name as she fell from the heavens. He slammed himself into her, gripping her hard enough to bruise her as he came, filling her with warm liquid and then collapsing onto her sweaty body.

Usually, her limbs would lose all energy and they would slip off of him as she would lie in a pool of pleasure. However, this time her arms stayed around him, holding him tightly against her. She was filled with a sudden fear that he would be gone if she let go, and for some reason he caught onto this fear. Lifting his head, he reached up and caressed her cheek, his thumb rubbing her bottom lip gently. "It's okay. I will stay as long as you will have me," he said. She gripped him even tighter, closing her eyes as to keep the tears from coming.

"I love you," she whispered, as sleep came to take her.

* * *

Orihime awoke to the shrill screaming of her telephone. In the darkness of her bedroom, she had no idea of where the noise was coming from. The ringing seemed directionless, as if the telephone could have been hiding anywhere in her bedroom: her bed stand, the dresser, underneath the pile of dirty clothes, the hamper.

"Ughhh, WHYYY!" She moaned, as she pushed the sheets back from her cheek. "Who is calling me at this hour?"

In the dark she heard a click, and then the rustling and moving of her bed. She felt something cool, plastic, and hard in her hand and was confused for a moment before she heard Ulquiorra say in a sleepy voice, "It is the orange-haired shinigami."

Orihime sighed in annoyance as she glanced at her alarm clock. The time was 11:00 PM, which surprised her since she felt like she had been sleeping for hours.

"Yes, Ichigo?" She said impatiently as she held the phone up to her ear.

"Inoue! It's time! Rukia's in labor!" Ichigo screamed in pure panic.

"Oh my god!" Orihime shrieked, sitting up in bed immediately.

"I KNOW!" Ichigo screamed back. "I'm taking her to the hospital right now. Meet us in the emergency room."

"Wait, are you driving? You shouldn't be driving!" Orihime said with alarm.

"Are you kidding me? Do you think I could drive in this state? Hell no! Renji is driving. I'm in the back seat with Rukia."

"**AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!**" Orihime heard Rukia screaming. She grimaced at the sound of her friend in labor and secretly thanked God that she wasn't pregnant or planning on being pregnant any time soon.

"Tell her to hold on and….breathe. I'll get there as soon as possible!"

"Ok," Ichigo said, and after some muffling noise he added, "Dad says for you to be careful driving. It's snowing pretty badly."

"Ok!" Orihime said before hearing the click that told her that poor Ichigo had hung up. Without further delay, Orihime leaped out of bed and blindly reached over to the bedside lamp and switched it on.

"What is the problem?" Ulquiorra asked grumpily, squinting at the sudden light. Orihime spared him a brief glance, noticing his naked chest and the sheets that covered his hips.

"Rukia's in labor. I have to go," Orihime said as she grabbed the nearest pair of jeans from off the floor.

"...Alright," he said, getting up as well and reaching for his clothes.

"You can stay and sleep. Don't worry!" Orihime said, grabbing her bra and slipping it on.

"No," Ulquiorra said firmly. "I will drive you to the hospital."

"Ugh, fine!" Orihime snapped, not being in the mood to argue about whose car to take or who would be driving. She threw on a maroon tank top and then a soft grey long-sleeved henley. They both finished dressing as quickly as they could before grabbing their coats and stumbling out the door.

When they got outside, they were met with a white blanket of snow and fluffy falling flakes. Orihime didn't take the time to be awed by nature as she trampled through the untouched snow toward Ulquiorra's car.

"Hurry!" She called back to Ulquiorra, who calmly followed her with his hands stuck in his pockets.

"You can run as much as you'd like, Dr. Inoue, but I have the keys," he dully pointed out.

"HURRY UP! I promised I'd be there for the baby's birth," Orihime said.

Five minutes later, Orihime gripped her car seat with fear as her wide eyes stared helplessly at the blurry snow that flew past the windshield of Ulquiorra's car.

"SLOW DOWN! You're going to kill us!" Orihime cried.

"Dr. Inoue, I am merely following orders for us to get there as quickly as possible," Ulquiorra replied with a zen tone that told Orihime he was undisturbed by the dangerous weather.

* * *

Thank you for reading! My comments and two new pieces of fanart for this story at my livejournal site: mmagnoliastorm-livejournal-com, replace the - with .

Thank you again for all the reviews. All the comments have been really encouraging; and though you may not believe it (considering how long it's been taking me to update), the reviews motivate me to update sooner! :) Next chapter something exciting called "plot" actually happens, lol, hope to see you all at Chapter 16.


	16. Chapter 16: The Arrival

**Chapter 16: The Arrival**

When Orihime and Ulquiorra finally got to the hospital, it was well past midnight. As they stepped through the emergency room doors, they were met with chaos. Nurses and doctors scrambled back and forth, attending to patients and their family members. As Orihime quickly scanned the room, she noticed that there was no one to help them. There wasn't a single doctor or nurse at the receptionist desk and no one seemed to be available for questioning. Orihime could feel frustration and anxiety building up inside her chest. She needed to find Ichigo and Rukia. She had made a promise. A quick glance at her perfectly calm sidekick told her that she was pretty much alone in her desperation.

"You have to do everything yourself if you want anything done around here," Orihime said with determination. She fished in her pursed and pulled out her hospital personnel badge and clipped it onto the rim of her sweater. Ulquiorra leaned forward to take a closer look at the name tag. The white plastic laminated tag read: _St. Luke's Hospital, Orihime Inoue, MD, Department: Surgery and Trauma Services_.

"Nice," Ulquiorra commented, approving of the overly flash-exposed photo of Orihime. "You look surprisingly good even on that tacky name tag."

"Oh, hush, Ulquiorra," Orihime dismissed him as she slipped over to the nurses' side of the receptionist desk. Flipping through the charts and sign-in sheets, she began looking for evidence of where they could have taken her friend. The stacks of overflowing binders tumbled and slid over the desk as Orihime search. A scowling older nurse approached the odd couple, with her hands on her hips and a piece of paper in her hand.

"Can I help you?" She asked grumpily.

"Yes, could you tell me where the patient Rukia Kuchiki-Kurosaki has been taken? I'm looking for her…uh...she's a patient of mine," Orihime added quickly, pointing to her name tag. The older woman put on her tortoise-shelled reading glasses that had been hanging around her neck on a beaded chain. The nurse squinted as she read the tiny letters on Orihime's name tag, and then finally realized that the orange-haired girl was no visitor.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Dr. Inoue. I'm new here− I don't believe we've met. I'm Polly, the new RN." The nurse gave Orihime a sheepish smile. "I actually just got back a lab report on Mrs. Kuchiki-Kurosaki. She's in the recovery room 353D of the maternity ward."

"Recovery room? She's no longer in labor!" Orihime asked with alarm.

"Oh yes," the older woman replied, surprised at the young doctor's response. "It was a very fast delivery. They were lucky they got her here when they did, otherwise she would have been giving birth in the backseat of her husband's car!"

"Ack!" Orihime cried, snatching the lab report from the nurse's hand. "Thank you!" she shouted as she picked a few things off the receptionist desk and grabbed Ulquiorra's hand.

"What is the rush?" Ulquiorra asked with wide eyes as he allowed his woman to pull him through the wide but busy hospital hallways. "If the former shinigami has already given birth, there is no need to run."

"You don't understand!" Orihime said, almost wanting to cry. "I promised I'd be there when she went into labor. Ichigo and Rukia were counting on me. If anything had happen during the delivery…" she trailed off, trying to push away dark 'what-ifs' scenarios. Ulquiorra stopped running, and forcing Orihime to come to a screeching halt.

"Dr. Inoue," he began patiently, reaching and cupping her cheek. "From what the nurse said, it sounds like the delivery was successful."

"…"

"Otherwise, the nurse would have reacted much different, no?" Ulquiorra pointed out.

"It's the principle of the matter, Ulquiorra," Orihime said with a sigh as she turned and continued to make her way through the hospital. "Oh, and take this. Put your name on it and stick it onto your shirt."

Ulquiorra fumbled with the name tag and permanent marker Orihime had shoved at him. Knowing the confused look that would be on his face, Orihime explained, "They won't let you into the maternity ward otherwise."

"Really?" He asked, disapprovingly.

"Yes, there's greater security in the maternity ward than there was to get into Las Noches," Orihime replied with a completely serious face. Ulquiorra blinked several times as he slowly followed the redhead.

"Somehow I highly doubt that," he muttered to himself as he scribbled his name under bold blue letters that said 'HELLO MY NAME IS…" and above the words 'VISITOR."

"You'd be surprised!" Orihime chimed, as she walked briskly across a long walkway that served as a bridge over the hospital arboretum. "Security is strict in the maternity ward and nursery because they've had baby kidnappings before…but shouldn't be a concern. There's just too much security for that to happen at this point."

"I don't believe I have spent enough time in human hospitals," Ulquiorra commented in awe, looking down at the jungle-like garden.

"Yeah, this hospital is really lovely. It's one the reasons why I liked working here so much," Orihime said thoughtfully as she approached an ID scanner next to a set of doors. She unclipped her name tag and swiped it through the scanner, turning the red light into a green one. After a buzzing sound, she shoved the large wide doors open.

"Liked?" Ulquiorra asked, noting the past-tense.

"Long story," Orihime mumbled. They arrived at a pastel-colored nurse's station where a young nurse's aide in a yellow uniform sat at a desk, scribbling into a large binder.

"Hi," Orihime greeted the girl, "We're here to see Mrs. Kuchiki-Kurosaki."

The young girl smiled back at Orihime, her eyes hesitating when she noticed the handsome dark-haired man next to her. "Uh, hi…" she said nervously, blushing when Ulquiorra met her stare with uninterested green-eyes. "Yes, she's in that room over there with her husband and a few friends."

"Thank you," Orihime said, giving the girl one last friendly smile. Neither of them noticed the long sigh the young girl gave or the dreamy look she had in her eyes when Ulquiorra walked away. The couple made their way toward the corner hospital room, where an open pastel-pink colored door welcomed them. Orihime slowly poked her head inside− unsure of whether or not she'd be disturbing anyone.

Inside the room, lit with fluorescent lights, a pale and tired looking Rukia sat up in bed holding a little bundled baby in her arms. She looked tiny in her large blue hospital gown just as her baby looked tiny in the powder blue blankets he was wrapped in. Her gaze seemed permanently fixed on the tiny pink face, as she let the baby's tiny hand grip her index finger. A soft smile was perched on her lips and an excited gleam sparkled in her violet eyes. Next to Rukia sat an equally tired looking Ichigo, who was leaning over and admiring the baby as well. A happy Renji sat across the room in the corner chair, lounging lazily with his legs spread out and his arms crossed over his chest. The major surprise, though, was the tall regal-looking dark-haired man who stood on the other side of Rukia. He wore a black collared shirt, black pants, and shiny black shoes. His arms were also crossed over his chest, and his hooded eyes were distracted by the glow of the newborn baby and his mother.

"Hi…" Orihime whispered as she slowly entered the peaceful room. Rukia looked up from the baby when she heard Orihime's voice.

"Orihime," Rukia said, her voice sounding scratchy and faint. She managed to give a warm bright smile despite her complete exhaustion. "I'm so happy to see you. Look at my beautiful baby boy," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. Her eyes were misty with happy tears as she looked back down at the baby. Orihime got close enough to the baby to see his pink face and without even realizing, she gasped at the sight of his delicate features. The baby was wrapped in a fuzzy blue blanket and only his face was arms were visible, but there was a strong positive aura surrounding him that brought awe to anyone who saw him.

"He's _is_ beautiful!" Orihime confirmed as she stood next to Ichigo. "Oh my gosh…congratulations guys…" Orihime gushed in a quiet tone, wanting to maintain the serenity in the room.

"Thank you," Rukia said, returning her gaze to the baby. Orihime looked at Ichigo and gave him an excited smile.

"You're a daddy now, Kurosaki!" Orihime said, giving a soft laugh.

"Heh, I know…" Ichigo responded, nervously looking back at the baby. "I don't know why, but words cannot describe how terrified I feel right now…"

"That's completely understandable; you're a new father after all," Orihime said, leaning over to Ichigo and giving him a reassuring hug.

"Fatherhood takes strength and responsibility," Byakuya said, his low and deep tone rumbled throughout the room like approaching thunder. His steel-like grey eyes gave Ichigo a heavy stare that made the normally defiant young man wince.

"So the baby's a _boy_! What's his name?" Orihime asked, turning her attention to the little bundle of joy once more. The baby had fluffy brownish-blonde hair that stood out against his pink skin.

"His name is Hisaki," Rukia said grinning.

"That is an excellent choice. Hisaki Matsuura is a well-respected scholar in his field. It is an honorable name to give the boy," Ulquiorra said out of the blue.

Ulquiorra shoved his hands into his pockets as everyone finally noticed his presence. The crowd seemed confused at Ulquiorra's comment. Orihime quickly returned to her partner's side, taking his hand in hers. For some reason, Orihime felt a defensive inclination to be at Ulquiorra's side.

"Hi, Ulquiorra…" Rukia finally greeted with her warm faint voice.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Kuchiki-Kurosaki," Ulquiorra said formally, appearing stiff and out-of-place. "…And Kurosaki," Ulquiorra added, giving Ichigo a nod.

"Thanks, man," Ichigo responded, giving him a nod in return.

"…We named him Hisaki after my sister Hisana and Ichigo's mother Masaki," Rukia explained.

"Ah, I see− that was my error then," Ulquiorra replied, looking away in embarrassment.

"That's okay," Rukia said, giving him a comforting smile.

"So…the delivery went okay? The baby and you are healthy? I know I said I would be here…" Orihime asked nervously, her eyebrows knit with concern. "I'm so sorry I couldn't get here sooner…with the storm and everything…traffic was−" Orihime stuttered until she was cut off before she could finish.

"It's okay, Orihime," Rukia said firmly, giving her friend a smile and shaking her head. "You couldn't have known how fast the delivery would be. Even I was surprised! I kept hearing about other women's labor taking two or three days, and I was expecting the delivery to take much longer." Humor danced in the petite woman's violet eyes as she thought back to the early maternal anxiety she had while she had been pregnant.

"The baby is as healthy as can be," Renji added. His eyes were bright and proud. "The nurse said it was the easiest delivery she's had all year."

"That's so great!" Orihime said, the nervousness melting away immediately. "See! I told you everything would be okay. New moms are always expecting the worst."

Byakuya cleared his throat unexpectantly at Orihime's comment, and tried to cover it up by coughing as his steel gaze quickly looked away from his sister-in-law and nephew. Everyone noticed the nobleman's reaction, and a sudden chill took over the room. All eyes were burning with silent questions as everyone waited for him to say something.

"Is there something you want to share with us, Byakuya?" Ichigo asked suspiciously, narrowing his eyes. The older shinigami stared blankly back at the orange-haired boy, unintimidated by the accusatory tone. Byakuya did not respond right away, creating another awkward moment for everyone else in the room to endure. When he finally spoke, his words took everyone's breath away.

"It is not my place to say. Time will tell," Byakuya stated solemnly. A few gasps were heard in the room, and everyone could see the panic in Rukia's large eyes.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ichigo asked.

"Brother…" Rukia's small low voice called, "Please…if you know anything…tell us. Is there something wrong?"

Byakuya merely closed his eyes, refusing to give any further response.

A loud knock on the door took everyone's attention away.

At the door, Isshin stood in front of three other men in his white doctor's coat that had a personnel badge similar to one Orihime was wearing. Byakuya turned immediately to the new guests while Renji stood up so quickly, he nearly knocked over his folding chair. He marched over to his Captain's side, as he took a defensive stance against the new visitors.

The lines of Isshin's wearied face made him look older than Orihime had ever seen him, and the gleam of sadness in his eyes brought about a slow panic inside her chest. Isshin cleared his throat, in a similar manner to Byakuya, before greeting the people in the room.

"Hello my son and beautiful daughter-in-law," Isshin began. "Congratulations."

He hesitated, and everyone noticed this. The normal jovial Isshin would gush and rush forward, demanding to see his new grandson right away; but this Isshin was all caution and regret. Stepping aside, Isshin finally allowed everyone to see the visiting guests.

Eyeballs bulged and jaws dropped open when the saw the three men standing in the doorway. On the right, Ukitake stood with a happy grin on his face, sporting a crisp white collared shirt tucked neatly into his dark grey pants. On the left, Shunsui stood wearing a flamboyantly bright pink shirt and white pants, despite the fact that it was well past Labor Day and nowhere near Memorial Day. His messy brown hair was held back with his signature pink hairpins and his grey eyes sparkled with mischief. The greatest shock came from seeing the Captain-Commander Yamamoto, who wore grandpa-esque baggy grey pants, a white sweater, and dark-brown overcoat.

Seeing these three powerful men in regular everyday human clothes was odd enough, but in the environment of the hospitals, their foreign spirit power made everyone feel like the oxygen had been temporarily been taken out of their lungs. Even if their shinigami powers were being repressed, their spirits still felt dense, heavy, filling up the entire room. The three men entered the hospital room while Isshin closed the door behind them.

"I'm sorry for the grand entrance, guys," Isshin said dryly, making a lame attempt to keep things casual. "I had to wait outside for our guests and then escort them in− had to get them past the maternity ward security somehow…"

When no one laughed at the older Kurosaki's joke, Shunsui took it upon himself to break to ice.

"We come from the East, bringing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh for the child," Shunsui said, smiling with amusement at himself. Ichigo blinked several times before responding with pure confusion.

"…Really?" He stuttered.

"No," Yamamoto stated curtly.

"We wanted to see how you were doing, Rukia!" Ukitake said cheerfully. "And I see you are doing well and your baby is adorable." He approached the child without hesitation, brushing Byakuya aside and leaning over and saying, "Coochicoo!" to the baby.

"Is it He or She?" Shunsui asked, curiously.

"Uh… thank you…Captain…he− the baby's a he. His name is Hisaki…" Rukia replied, uncomfortable with how to address the Captains and even more overwhelmed with the number of people in the hospital room. She had been given the largest maternity recovery room, and yet the room still managed to feel small with so many people crammed in.

"We come here on professional business," Yamamoto corrected, managing to squash any kind of casual pleasantry. The room silenced as all eyes turned to the elderly Commander. "There is danger afoot," he explained without preamble.

"You may have noticed lately that there have been some spiritual disturbances occurring around you. Soul Society has not been unaware of this development. We had been monitoring the situation closely, but we had no knowledge of what was really going on…until now. Recently, Ukitake and Shunsui have come across some disturbing documents."

Rukia immediately looked over to her former Captain with questioning eyes. Ukitake straightened up, his cheerful demeanor turning serious.

"Yes, we have reason to believe that your child is in danger, Rukia…" Ukitake began.

"What? Why didn't anyone tell me this!" Ichigo shouted, standing up so quickly and forcefully that he knocked over his chair.

"SSShhhh, Ichigo," Rukia said gently. "We don't want to cause too much of a stir. The last thing we need are doctors and nurses barging in here."

"Yes, I don't think we're even supposed to have this many people in a hospital room anyways," Orihime murmured. Since she was mainly commenting to herself, the statement was passed over by the rest of the people in the room.

"I have sealed the door. There will be no interruptions from humans," Commander Yamamoto said abruptly.

"Oh…ok," Orihime squeaked, scooting closer to Ulquiorra. From the corner of her eye, Orihime could see how uncomfortable Ulquiorra was growing. She gave his hand a squeeze and hoped desperately that he could just hang in there for now. If he were to bolt like he did at the Ishida Wake, there'd be no way she could go after him− not when this situation seemed to be growing increasingly more serious.

"So…what is the nature of the danger?" Rukia asked quietly, looking directly at Byakuya. It was clear that she was not shying away from confronting her brother-in-law about how much he had known _and_ had been hiding from her.

"It has to do with Mayuri Kurotsuchi," Shunsui said, taking the attention away from Byakuya. "We have known for a while now that he has been up to something, but were unable to find any real evidence until he disappeared a few months ago."

"It was then that we found documents and copies of his lab notebooks that told us he had been looking into making his own hōgyoku. He disappeared a couple of months ago and we suspect he has either succeeded in making some kind of copy of the hōgyoku or…it is possible that the original Hōgyoku has finally found a new master," Ukitake explained.

The room was silent with many different kinds of reaction to the news. Although Byakuya's reaction was unreadable, his lieutenant's eyes were large and surprised− Ukitake's news confirmed his original suspicions. Renji had known of an impending danger, but he had been kept largely in the dark by his Captain.

Rukia's face was washed with distress as she clutched the sleeping baby in her arms. Ichigo's face had turned into a ghostly white, and he appeared to be on the brink of fainting with shock. Orihime felt as stunned as everyone else, but she tried her best to remain calm; though her first concern was for her friends and their new baby, she was also concerned with the distant look in Ulquiorra's eyes. It was a look that she recognized, a look that she saw in his eyes every time he went to that dark place in his mind. For a man who had been an arrancar born from Aizen's Hōgyoku, the announcement gave him several reasons to be alarmed.

"How? How did you find the documents?" Rukia asked, sounding like she too had traveled far away to a distant land.

"His daughter, Nemu, provided us with the documents. When we saw the evidence, we searched his entire laboratory. We have questioned her and the rest of his staff thoroughly and believe Mayuri's deflection was singular," Ukitake continued, hoping that this piece of information would somehow manage to be reassuring. Rukia, however, exhaled loudly and still looked distressed.

"And how does this affect our baby, exactly?" Ichigo asked; his panicked voice sounding unusually high-pitched.

"Well…" Shunsui began slowly, choosing his words carefully. "Mayuri does not have the same amount of spiritual power that Aizen had, believe it or not. Many of his inventions, weapons, and poisons are born out of his intelligence and clever designs. He would need a much stronger entity to use his hōgyoku on. Aizen had already used his Hōgyoku on hollows, shinigami, and humans, respectively, but Mayuri was particularly interested in the genetic makeup and soul of your child. His notes indicated that he believes merging his hōgyoku with your child would..."

"Your child is very special, Rukia," Ukitake said, cutting his friend off since he didn't want to put too many scary images in Rukia's mind. Everyone else could use their imagination to consider the possible outcomes of merging the child's soul with Mayuri's hōgyoku. "We know that Ichigo is a human who has shinigami and hollow powers− even if those powers are hibernating right now."

"Could you _not _talk about me like I'm not in the room," Ichigo interrupted sourly.

"Oh, sorry Ichigo," Ukitake said, looking sheepish.

"Rukia− Urahara once hid his Hōgyoku inside you, and we have yet to find out how that exactly affected you," Shunsui added.

"Now that you both have produced an offspring, there's great speculation and concern about the manifestations of your offspring's powers," Yamamoto explained.

Everyone was silent for a while, taking in the gravity of the news. It was clear to Orihime that all of her friends were fraught with feelings of helplessness, panic, and fear. Isshin and Byakuya stood to the left side of the room, with resignation and deference in their eyes. Ukitake's and Shunsui's faces showed concern and determination. Commander Yamamoto's demeanor though was unreadable as always, and it was he who decided to finally break everyone's anxious train of thought.

"The Gotei 13 will do all that we can to find Mayuri and bring him to justice before harm can be done; however, this situation warrants extra attention− we cannot allow Mayuri to kidnap the child," he said, approaching Rukia and the baby. Rukia's eyes grew large as the Commander got close. For some reason, she felt like she needed to protect her baby from the Commander as well.

"So…what are you proposing?" Ichigo asked warily. He knew already that he would not like whatever plan Soul Society had decided on; it irritated the hell out of him that they had known about all of this and planned a course of action without consulting with him or Rukia to begin with.

"Ukitake will take the baby to a secure and remote location, unbeknownst to anyone…not even you and your husband, Rukia," Commander Yamamoto said. Rukia clutched Hisaki tightly, stirring the baby finally out of its slumber and causing him to start crying loudly.

"Hell NO!" Ichigo screamed over the sound of the crying baby. Rukia began trying desperately to stop the baby's crying by rocking him in her arms and hushing him with her soothing voice.

"You will not take him away from us!" Ichigo continued to shout, "That's the stupidest idea ever! How the hell are we supposed to protect him if we don't even know where he's going to be?"

"Why can't Rukia go with Captain Ukitake?" Renji asked, equally as shocked as all of his friends at the strategy. He was so stunned that he managed to forget to respectfully address his superiors.

"It would be too obvious. Mayuri will of course be looking for the child wherever the mother is…it is expected that the child would be with his parents. We must do all that we can to throw them off course. We will take Rukia to another secure location and expect that he will be looking for her first," Yamamoto explained patiently.

"For how long?" Renji asked.

"As long as necessary," Yamamoto replied firmly.

"What? Are you saying I could go years without ever seeing my son and wife again?" Ichigo asked. He could not believe how worse the situation was getting with each passing minute. "No, I will stay with Rukia and the baby. You CANNOT take them _both_ away from me," Ichigo said with severe conviction. He was so angry and upset that Orihime could see veins popping out of his neck.

Ichigo's face was practically as pink as Hisaki's face due to the force of all his emotions. He could barely sort out all the things he was feeling: fear, anxiety, anger, outrage…these varying degrees of emotions each deserved attention, but he couldn't take the time to figure out how he felt exactly about the situation− not when they were threatening to take his wife and child away.

"I can see that you have all thought this through very carefully…and I thank you for that…" Rukia murmured, closing her eyes. Her soft voice managed to break through the sound of her baby crying and her husband's huffing anger. Her dark eyelashes were wet with incoming tears and her voice cracked when she asked, "When will you be taking him?"

"Rukia, NO!" Ichigo said, his eyes wide with surprise at his wife's surrender. "NO! We can't go along with this…_I_ won't go along with this."

"They are right. This is the best course of action, Ichigo," Rukia said, staring longingly at her baby. Hisaki had Masaki's soft brown-blonde hair and Hisana's serene violet eyes. She could feel her heart breaking. She was just starting to get to know her son, and now they were going to take him away.

"Renji and I won't allow it!" Ichigo countered.

"I'm sorry, Ichigo," Renji corrected quickly. "But I am with Rukia in whatever decision she makes," he said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"WHAT?" Ichigo shouted, his head snapped as he turned to glare at one of his best friends. Orihime cringed as the volume of Ichigo's yelling increased by several decibels. She prayed silently that Yamamoto had done something to soundproof the room as well.

"Splitting them up is the best way to throw him off course," Ukitake calmly explained.

"Great Commander General Yamamoto, I humbly request to be assigned to protect Rukia Kuchiki while she is being taken to the secure location and for the duration of her stay," Renji said, bowing his head to the older man.

"…I will consider it," Yamamoto said after a pause.

"Is there no one else who sees the ridiculousness of this plan?" Ichigo asked, sweat starting to form on his forehead. "Am I alone in all this?"

"I am with you. I don't know if that counts for much though…" Orihime said quietly underneath her breath, trying to be brave despite the intimidating presence of the Captains.

Ichigo turned back to look at Orihime, as if he had completely forgotten that she and Ulquiorra were even in the room. His brown eyes softened when he realized he wasn't alone. "Thank you, Inoue. That means a lot to me…" Ichigo said; and then without hesitation he turned to Ulquiorra and asked, "And you Schiffer?"

Ulquiorra blinked, surprised that the orange-haired shinigami would care at all about his opinion. He wasn't quite sure why, but for some reason Ulquiorra found himself frowning with equal determination. "I am with Orihime Inoue, regardless of the course of action," he said, looking directly at her. Orihime squeezed his hand even tighter as she nervously chewed on her lower lip.

"Thank y− " Ichigo began to say before he was cut off by an angry Commander.

"Would you really care to position yourself as an enemy of Soul Society once again, young man?" Yamamoto threatened. "Let me remind you that you are still living out your sentence."

Ulquiorra merely stared at the old man with blank eyes, unmoved by his intimidation.

"Dad?" Ichigo squeaked, turning to his father who stood with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Whatever you want to do, son…" Isshin said, closing his eyes and wishing once more that Masaki was with him. Ichigo needed the support of both his parents. Isshin had known all along that this would not be easy. He knew his son too well.

"If you could…" Rukia began, fighting against her tears and holding back sobs. "If you could let me be with him…for just a few more days? …Before you take him…"

"Oh Rukia…" Ukitake said, frowning with concern. He had started thinking of her as a daughter a long time ago, and it was heartbreaking to see her so distraught. "It is not an unreasonable request…," he said, turning to his Commander.

"We can send down reinforcements," Shunsui added. Yamamoto was quiet, humming to himself in thought. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath.

"Three days," Yamamoto finally said.

"One week," Ukitake countered. "Oh, come on, Commander. We will put the plan in motion at the slightest hint of a risk."

"Three days," Yamamoto said again, sounding irritated. "This whole situation endangers everyone: Soul Society and this human world. Must we revisit memories of Aizen's destruction and the number of limbs lost in that war? You all should be thinking about that as you go about your business in the next few days. The weight of the world is on your shoulders." Yamamoto turned around, magically opening the door in front of him without even touching it. He walked out of the hospital room without further comment.

"We will do everything we can, Rukia," Ukitake said under his breath as he followed his Commander out.

"Good seeing you all again," Shunsui added, trying to be casual but ending up being awkward. He gave them one last supportive smile as he followed his white-haired friend out the door.

And with that, the three magi disappeared without trace, rendering everyone speechless. After a few moments, Byakuya began to exit the room as well without a remark.

"Brother…?" Rukia asked, stopping him in mid-stride.

"Abarai is more than capable of keeping you safe," Byakuya said. In his own way, he was on her side. He would always protect his sister-in-law; it was a vow he could not break. As Byakuya disappeared though, Rukia could not help but question her brother's intentions. Would he truly follow Yamamoto's orders, or…would he manage to somehow aid to Ichigo?

The room was quiet once more, as the remaining people pondered the next course of action. The baby had fallen back to sleep on his own, and Rukia now cradled her baby with the utmost care and love.

"Rukia…you cannot be serious," Ichigo began with a loud and firm voice.

"Ssshh, Ichigo…don't wake him up again, please. He looks so peaceful when he's sleeping…" Rukia replied without looking at her husband. "We don't have much time with him. Let's try to make the most of it."

"Uhh…I'm gonna go call Tatsuki. She's probably wondering where I am," Renji said quickly, noticing that his two married friends needed time alone to discuss the issue. He stuffed his hands into his leather coat pockets and wandered out of the room.

"Ah, yes! Good idea, I'll go call your sisters and let them know everyone is okay and that they have a new healthy baby nephew," Isshin added, scrambling behind Renji out the door.

"Rukia…are you okay? Do you need anything?" Orihime said hesitantly. She also felt drawn to leave the couple alone in the aftermath of the devastating news, but she also knew that Rukia could benefit from having a female friend around.

"Mrs. Kuchiki-Kurosaki," A nurse called from the open door of the room. "It's time to take him back to the nursery. We're going to do a few measurements and weigh him. We didn't have time to do it after the delivery because of all the chaos happening downstairs in the emergency room. A bus accident practically stole all the personnel."

Panic settled in Rukia's eyes. Someone was taking her baby away from her already?

"It's okay, Rukia. I can go with them if you want," Orihime offered. "I'll stay with him as long as necessary until it's time to bring him back to you."

Rukia looked at her friend, thoughts racing through her mind before she relented. Orihime had always been there for her, even when Rukia had suspected the support was to Orihime's own detriment. If she could trust her friend with her life, then she could trust her friend with her child.

"O-okay…" Rukia said, giving the baby to Orihime.

Orihime gently took the baby from Rukia, adjusting him in her arms in order to get a more secure hold on him. She moved carefully and slowly, not wanting to wake the baby up.

"Hi, little guy," Orihime said nervously in a softer tone to the baby. She had loved her OBGYN rotation when she had been a medical student, but she had hardly had enough time to become comfortable with newborns.

"Follow me, then," the nurse said to Orihime. "I'll bring him right back." She gave Rukia a reassuring smile. Orihime followed the nurse out, moving as steadily as she could as to not disturb the sleeping child.

After sparing Ichigo a short glance, Ulquiorra shoved his hands into his pockets and followed his woman out of the room. He had no idea what kind of measuring they were going to do or why they needed to weigh the baby, but he didn't want to leave his woman's side− not when he had just heard news of impending danger.

"Isn't he cute?" Orihime asked Ulquiorra, as she stared adoringly at the baby's little pink face.

"I suppose," Ulquiorra replied without looking at the baby; he continued staring listlessly in front of him as he walked beside her.

They made their way toward the nursery without saying another word to each other. The nurse walked several paces ahead of them, while Orihime walked as slowly as possible, afraid that the slightest twitch would affect the baby. Ulquiorra took his time as well, moving as slow as his girlfriend. Orihime glanced at Ulquiorra briefly and noticed that faraway look in his eyes again. She fought the urge to ask him what he was thinking, choosing instead to focus her attention on baby Hisaki.

When they arrived at the nursery, Orihime handed Hisaki to the nurse who took him over to a table, where he was to be measured and weighed. She watched the nurse do her job for a while before realizing she had lost Ulquiorra. Turning around, Orihime went back out to the hallway to look for him.

She found Ulquiorra standing in front of a large pane of glass windows. It was a curious sight for Orihime, seeing him staring at a whole nursery of babies in individual little beds. All the babies were put in blankets and beds that were color coded based on gender. Some babies were asleep, others gurgled and cooed happily. Every now and then a baby would cry, and a nurse's aide would walk over to the baby and pick him or her up. Ulquiorra seemed to be entranced by the lot of babies as Orihime walked slowly up to him, not wanting to disturb him as much as she hadn't wanted to disturb baby Hisaki.

"Hey," she said softly as she stepped up to him. He didn't reply at first. Instead, he just stood in front of the nursery window with his hands in his pockets and gaze focused ahead.

"I have never seen so many before," Ulquiorra finally said. His tone was completely neutral and it was difficult for Orihime to discern his emotions, but she could at least see that he had a strange look in his eyes that seemed to be a mixture of curiosity and fear.

"Heh, yeah…it can be an overwhelming sight, especially when they all start crying," Orihime said, humor dancing in her eyes as she watched her boyfriend watch the babies.

They stood quietly next to each other for several minutes, each of them lost in their own thoughts. The longer they endured the silence though, the more Orihime began to fret about her friends. What would Ichigo do? Would Ichigo and Rukia come to any kind of an understanding or agreement? The idea of another hōgyoku was terrifying, but the idea of a hōgyoku in the hands of a mad scientist like Mayuri seemed like a nightmare had become reality. Would everyone try to recover their powers? Orihime knew that she had been the only one to use her powers recently. Would Ichigo be able to regain his full shinigami/visored powers? The questions swirled around in Orihime's brain. They were questions that mixed into the great pot of confusion she had been swimming in during the entire month of December. It seemed every time she blinked, her life became more and more complicated. Hadn't she taken time off work so she could try to find some inner peace?

Inner peace now seemed like a mythical concept. With the news of Mayuri's deflection and the tragedy of having to take baby Hisaki away, Orihime knew that Ulquiorra's proposal should have been in the very back of her mind…but it wasn't. His proposal stood out brightly against the string of events that had happened recently, and she knew exactly why it weighed so heavily on her. The thought of the proposal brought on a strong emotion: guilt.

Orihime let herself indulge in an existential rumination, knowing that her life as an orphan had forced her to face heavy issues much earlier than any of her friends. Orihime didn't know if she could handle having another heart in her hands. She had already crushed the dreams of one man, and she wasn't completely sure that she wouldn't be doing it again. She was beginning to understand Ulquiorra's true feelings for her, but she was still scared. Commander Yamamoto's words echoed in her ears: _the weight of the world is on your shoulders_. It wasn't until now that Orihime realized that she had been feeling like that for a long time.

_The power of holding someone else's fate in your hands…_it was how Urahara had described Orihime's abilities. It hadn't seemed like a terrifying power to have at the time; but Orihime had been young when her powers manifested. She had been thrilled to be able to fight alongside her friends and protect the people she loved. But now that she had become an adult, she viewed her powers much differently.

She had once firmly believed that it was an honor to be given the chance to save a life− that was why she had become a doctor. Healing had always been innate for her, but ability to change someone's entire fate, to reverse events that had happened, to bring someone back to life…it was a gift that she had never initially wanted. It was a gift that was given to her without her knowledge. She didn't see her abilities as a gift anymore. They were a burden. Her powers manifested because of multiple factors; yes, Aizen had some influence on her initial growth in spirit power, but it was she who chose to cultivate and foster those powers into their full abilities. As she grew older though, Orihime began to see the consequences of her abilities. Adulthood taught her the complexity of life and that messing with the natural order of fate had a rippling effect on everything. Some of her friends had always embraced their powers and actually missed them when they were gone, but Orihime didn't.

She had once believed that she could do good with her powers, but now she no longer wanted the responsibility…that was why she hadn't been able to do her job as a doctor. It reminded her too much of her responsibility. When she was a doctor, she held her patients' lives in her hands. When she used her powers, she held someone's fate in her hands. And now she held Ulquiorra's heart in her hands, and she was terrified.

Orihime leaned in, pressing her forehead against the thick glass window. She watched one particular baby's little legs begin to wiggle. Even though his skin was bright pink and nowhere near the cute baby phase yet, Orihime couldn't help but smile at the sight. The beauty of life took her breath away. This tiny little human would grow up and become an adult some day and live a human life…just like she was doing… just like Ulquiorra was doing.

_Is it so __**hard**__ for you to think of me as human?_ He had asked her.

In that moment, it wasn't hard at all for Orihime.

Releasing a loud sigh, Orihime closed her eyes, pushing away thoughts of the baby, Rukia, Ichigo, Uryuu, and even Ulquiorra. The hospital had grown extremely quiet since it was Christmas night, except for the soft sounds of machines beeping. Orihime was just beginning to consider taking a sleeping pill in order to get some rest when she went home when the nurse approached her.

"Here he is− he's asleep again. He's such a good boy…he's not going to give his parents any trouble at all," the nurse said smiling brightly.

"Haha...well you never know…" Orihime said, trying to hold back a cringe at the irony of the nurse's statement. She took the baby from the nurse, settling the sleeping child safely into her arms.

"Boys are never trouble. It's the girls that you have to watch out for," Ulquiorra quipped smartly, eliciting a glare from Orihime. The female nurse, who had also managed to feel slighted by his comment, gave him and odd look.

"I'm sorry…who are you again?" The nurse began to ask.

"He's just a visitor− a guest of mine," Orihime said, walking quickly away from the questioning nurse. "Come on, Ulquiorra!" She called after him. Ulquiorra gave the nurse an awkward nod of acknowledgement before he turned on his heel and followed the orange-haired Doctor back down the hall.

As they walked back toward Rukia's room, Orihime's thoughts returned to her friends while she adjusted the blanket that partially covered the baby's face. Glancing curiously at Ulquiorra who had managed to catch up to her, she asked, "So…what do you think Rukia and Ichigo will do?"

Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow. "Why do you believe I would know? They are your friends."

"Well, what do you think they _should _do?" Orihime asked. Ulquiorra glanced at sleeping baby Hisaki before returning his gaze to the expanse of hallways ahead of them.

"Do you really want to know what I think?" Ulquiorra asked, hesitating.

"Yes, of course!" Orihime said, knitting her brows together with genuine concern. "I always want to know what you think, Ulquiorra."

"Yes, I suppose… but that does not means you will always like what I'm thinking," Ulquiorra commented to himself. An exasperated sigh from Orihime told him to readjust his attitude. He exhaled loudly, stuffing his hands into his pant pockets before answering.

"Okay, if I were a soldier or warrior once more…and I had to advise them…I would strongly encourage them to form a united front. It seems they are at odds with each other over what to do next, and that will be a serious weakness that any enemy could exploit."

"…Yes, you're right. I was sort of thinking the same thing," Orihime muttered after giving his suggestion some thought. They were getting closer and closer to Rukia's room and Orihime was beginning to feel a strong sense of dread. She had no idea what she would find inside; Rukia and Ichigo still fighting? Ichigo gone and Rukia crying? Rukia gone and Ichigo crying (not very likely, but still…)?

"Things are going to get ugly…" Orihime whispered, thinking quickly about all of their friends and the sides that they would choose.

"They always do once battle lines are drawn," Ulquiorra replied.

* * *

dun dun dun... _drama_... my comments at the usual place: mmagnoliastorm-livejournal-com, replace the - with .  
Thank you for reading!


	17. Chapter 17: The Divide

**Chapter 17: The Divide**

It was still dark when Orihime and Ulquiorra finally left the hospital and went home. In the cold early morning hours, the gravity of the recent the events hung heavy in the air. Yet, neither of them felt inclined to review, discuss, or analyze what had happened. Their thoughts mentally removed them from their environment, making everything automatic: getting in the car, putting it in drive, making their way home through the empty streets of the city− all their actions were done in sync with one another…as if they had been living together for years. Their wearied minds did not need conversation to fill the empty and tense space between them.

It wasn't just exhaustion that kept them from speaking to each other, it was also fear. Fear of the possible implications that the recent events might have for their relationship. Each of them had questions they wanted to ask the other, but they kept them inside. They knew that there could be answers that they didn't want to or weren't ready to hear.

By the time Ulquiorra finally pulled up to Orihime's apartment building, both of them had decided to put away the troubling news for the night; instead they focused on the task ahead of them: getting some much needed sleep. In a daze, Orihime robotically unbuckled her seatbelt and started to get out of the car. It wasn't until she was already halfway out of the vehicle that she noticed Ulquiorra hadn't killed the engine yet.

"Aren't you coming in?" Orihime asked, leaning over to look at the shadowed face of her lover.

"I need to go home to take care of some things," he replied, giving her a brief look before glancing away. Orihime blinked several times, unsure if she actually understood what he was saying. Hadn't he been begging for her to let him stay just earlier that night?

"You could come to my place if you'd like," he added quickly. Orihime released a breath she didn't realize she had been holding_. Okay, good, he hasn't changed his mind about us_, Orihime thought. It took her a moment to consider his proposition though; she hadn't seen his new apartment since she had gone with him to visit it with the real estate broker.

"Uh…I guess I could…" she said reluctantly, surprised at his forwardness. The idea of going over to his place was disconcerting. It wasn't that she didn't want to be with him; she very much wanted to fall asleep in the security of his arms. But for some reason, she felt like she had been driven away by the cold empty house by the sea. Even though he had given the invitation, she worried she would be an unwelcomed presence in his home.

"_I_ would like for you to come…" he said encouragingly without prompt.

"Really?" Orihime chewed on her bottom lip nervously.

"Yes…I'd like to know that you are safe," he stated slowly, meeting her gaze with dark emerald eyes. His eyebrows were knit with determination.

"Well…that's thoughtful of you," Orihime said, hesitating still. "But…you can't be with me all the time, you know…"

"I know…just for tonight though," Ulquiorra said, giving her a ghost of a smile. "I'd like to think that we both wouldn't want to be alone after the night we have had."

Orihime couldn't resist smiling back at him. After taking a deep breath, Orihime finally pushed away her doubts.

"Yes, you're right. Just let me run in and get some of my stuff," she said. Ulquiorra nodded, indicating that he would wait in the car for her.

She ran inside, feeling an odd sense of glee in her stomach− like the butterflies she would have felt if this were her first date with him. It seemed every single step forward for their relationship, no matter how small, was a milestone. This would be the first time she would be sleeping over at his place, and Orihime was nervous about how well she would acclimate to his home; but at the same time, she was excited about the fact that he was slowly letting her into his world. She knew it couldn't be easy for him to be so open with her.

After grabbing a few clothes for the next day, set of fresh underwear, her toothbrush, deodorant, and some makeup, Orihime ran back outside to her awaiting boyfriend. Like any other woman, there was so much she wanted to bring with her…like her hairdryer, flatiron, body lotion, favorite perfume, and a selection of shoes…but Orihime held back, feeling embarrassed about the idea of showing up at Ulquiorra's car with a small suitcase in hand. When she got to the car Ulquiorra stepped out of the driver's side and took her overnight bag from her, stuffing it into the back of his car without a sparing her a single word. He didn't seem to notice the amount of stuff she had come back with, and so Orihime made a mental note to bring more with her next time.

The drive to Ulquiorra's new house was much longer than Orihime remember, either that or she was so tired that every city block seemed to go on for miles. Without even realizing, she dozed off in the passenger seat and didn't wake up until they had arrived. Orihime first heard the sound of the surf and the crashing of the waves against the rocks on the beach. A gentle hand shook her, and when she opened her eyes she saw Ulquiorra looking down at her tenderly. He had opened the passenger side door and was kneeling so he could be at eye level with her.

"We are here, time to go inside," he said gently. "Would you like for me to carry you?" he asked politely.

Despite her sleepiness, Orihime almost laughed at his thoughtfulness. "No, that would be silly. I can walk with my own two feet, but thank you Ulquiorra. That's sweet of you to offer," she said, leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you," Ulquiorra said with a quiet tone that seemed to echo with longing. Orihime reached over and grabbed the hand he offered her as she started to get out of the car.

"Let's _both_ get some sleep now," she said, smiling at him. Orihime turned to the back seat of the car to get her bag but noticed it was already gone. Her silver eyes snapped back up at Ulquiorra questioningly.

"I brought our things inside first," he explained briefly, closing the passenger side door behind Orihime.

"Huh…" Orihime said, marveling to herself− Ulquiorra always seemed to be one step ahead of her. He had already turned and had started up the long walkway toward the front door. Orihime found herself having to jog to catch up with him. By the time she finally got to his side, they were already at the front door. Orihime tried to hide her scowl at his briskness as she took his hand in hers, ensuring that he would not be speeding ahead again without her.

A chill went down Orihime's spine as she entered the seemingly haunted home. The dark empty interior of the white house scared Orihime. Shadows from the moonlight lurked at every corner and turn of the angular front hallway, and their footsteps were loud and resonating. Ulquiorra didn't seem to feel a need to turn on the lights as they made their way through the house despite the fact that Orihime was clearly unsettled by the darkness. She clutched her coat in her arms and stared at her foreign environment with wide eyes.

From his peripheral view, Ulquiorra could see the apprehension in Orihime's face. He didn't need a flashlight to notice her discomfort. Silently, he berated himself for not being more thoughtful of her. A woman like Orihime needed warmth and comfort, and Ulquiorra knew that his home was anything but that. The thought made him feel despondent; it left him wondering if he could ever provide that for her.

"I'm sorry, I haven't had much of a chance to buy furniture," he said awkwardly, clearing his throat.

"Oh…of course! I mean, you just moved in…no need to apologize," Orihime said quickly, noticing the concern in his voice and feeling guilty about her nervousness. _It's just the dark_, she chastised herself. She flashed him a fake smile, hoping it would make up for her self-consciousness.

"I have a bed," he added, leading her down a spiral staircase. "If that is of any consolation…"

"A bed is always nice," Orihime said, gripping the handrail as she descended into the lower depths of the house. _Why does this feel so familiar?_ Orihime thought to herself as she took in the hollowness of the empty house. Orihime knew it was odd that following Ulquiorra around in a dark empty white house would bring about such a strong sense of déjà-vu. It wasn't until they were almost at the foot of the stairs that Orihime realized why everything felt so familiar. The last time she followed Ulquiorra around in a completely white and hollow home was when she had been taken to Las Noches. The memory of the haunted castle brought a shiver down Orihime's spine as she entered another large barren room.

"Here we are," Ulquiorra announced unenthusiastically. In the center of the room was a king sized bed with sheets as white as the walls. Orihime breathed a silent sigh of relief that she was now in a room that was actually lit, even if only by a dim little lamp.

She noticed her overnight bag and other amenities placed neatly at the foot of the bed. The only other pieces of furniture in the room were a nightstand with a single lamp, a large desk and a leather chair. The desk was covered in papers and books, as usual per any environment Ulquiorra seemed to take over; and the silver edge of a Mac laptop could be seen peeking out from under a stack of papers.

"I'm going to go take a shower," Ulquiorra announced as he wandered away from Orihime toward another door.

"O-Okay," Orihime stuttered. "I'll just settle in, no problem." He apparently believed he didn't need to give her any kind of response as he disappeared into the master bathroom.

Orihime began to take off her clothes, feeling confined and overwhelmed. She paced back and forth as she took off each article of clothing, throwing it onto the ground. When she had finally stripped down to her bra and panties, Orihime closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths to calm herself down. As she opened her eyes, Orihime casually glanced at some of the papers on the desk, all scribbled with Ulquiorra's elegant handwriting. She picked up a book that sat on a ledge of the desk, threatening to fall onto the floor; it was another book on philosophy, and Orihime had to suppress a need to say _boring_ out loud. As she placed the book back on the desk, she turned around to the bed. It was made as perfectly as possible, hospital corners and everything, and for some reason these little details of neatness made Orihime smile. Without thinking, she ran at the bed and leaped onto it, bouncing several times as she messed up the pillows and blankets on the bed. Giggling to herself, Orihime grabbed a pillow and buried her face in it, taking in Ulquiorra's lingering scent. She was just starting to feel sleepy when she heard an abrupt:

_BRRRRIINNNGGGG BRRRINNGGGG!_

Orihime jumped at the loud echoing sound of the telephone. After a frantic search of the bedroom, she finally found the location where the sound was coming from under a pile of books and papers on the desk. Frowning to herself, Orihime got up from the bed and made her way toward the obnoxiously ringing telephone with every intention of unplugging it. But before she could reach it, the call had already gone to the answering machine with a loud _BEEEPP_.

"_ULQUIIII_!" A high feminine voice said on the machine. "_Where are you? I've been looking for you everywhere and this is like the fifth message I've left on here. I don't even know if this is your number, but it's the number that your landlady gave me when I called her._ _Please call me back, it's important. I miss you! The number again is_…" The female voice gave her phone number and said "_Smooch! Smooch_!" before hanging up.

Orihime's jaw fell open as she stared at the hidden telephone and answering machine. She could not believe what her ears had just heard. Did a woman really just leave that message for Ulquiorra? Did that woman really just say that she missed him? And who the hell calls him "Ulqui?" And what dignified woman would say "Smooch! Smooch" before hanging up?

Frowning and unconsciously narrowing her eyes, Orihime felt shock slowly turn into jealousy. Her mind replayed the conversation she had with Tatsuki when they had been on their way to Uryuu's father's funeral. Tatsuki contended that the secret to understanding a man was knowing about his ex-girlfriends. Originally, Orihime had dismissed the idea- a part of her ignorantly believing that Ulquiorra couldn't have ever had a serious girlfriend before Orihime came along…but now there was proof that she was clearly wrong. Ulquiorra did have an ex-girlfriend, apparently one comfortable enough with him to call him by a pet name (Ulqui? Seriously?), and this ex-girlfriend missed him and was trying to hunt him down.

"Did I hear the telephone?"

"Ack!" Orihime cried, almost jumping out of skin at hearing Ulquiorra's sudden voice. "Don't do that!" She snapped, silver eyes glaring at him.

Ulquiorra stared back with large innocent green eyes. He stood by the bathroom door, clad only in a white towel that was wrapped around his hips.

"Do what?"

"Come up behind me and scare me!"

"I was not trying to scare you…" he began cautiously, noticing immediately that she was being unreasonably crabby.

"Oh never mind!" Orihime dismissed, pursing her lips into an unhappy line as she marched over to the bed and got in.

"You are going to bed already?" Ulquiorra asked as he made his way toward her in the bed.

"Yes," Orihime said shortly, shoving the sheets and blankets over her shoulder and turning her back to him. Ulquiorra silently sighed to himself and rolled his eyes at the female cold shoulder she was giving him. He had no idea why she was upset, but he had a strong aversion to women who wanted _him_ to figure everything on his own. And so Ulquiorra decided to not take her bait, and chose to ignore her instead. Turning his attention back to his original question, Ulquiorra walked over to his desk, placing papers and books aside into neat little piles before pressing the play button on his answering machine. He listened to approximately one and a half of the messages left by the woman before shutting the machine off.

"Who was that?" An icy voice came from the woman in his bed.

"No one important," Ulquiorra said calmly, turning around and shooting Orihime's back an annoyed glance. He began picking up the clothes Orihime had carelessly strewn across his bedroom floor, scowling at his messy girlfriend as he collected them.

It took all of Orihime's self-control to keep her eyes closed and pretend to sleep while she heard Ulquiorra move about the bedroom. At some point she heard a door open and close, and then she heard him brushing his teeth and then after a few more shuffling noises, she felt the other side of the bed dip with his weight. He slid under the sheets, filling up the empty space next to her. Leaning over and gently touching her shoulder, Ulquiorra whispered, "Good night," and then settled in for sleep.

Orihime stayed awake for another half hour before she finally fell asleep. Most of her wakefulness was fueled by jealousy and speculation about the ex-girlfriend, but she was also outraged that he could dismiss her so easily. Her cold shoulder and sour attitude did not seem to be able to permeate the pragmatic calm of his inherently patient demeanor. Uryuu had always had a hard time going about his business when he knew Orihime was upset about something, even if it were the smallest of things. Uryuu needed to address issues right away, talk about them, and try to fix them. But it seemed Ulquiorra handled female fits different, choosing instead to let her simmer with anger until she felt it necessary to honestly address the issue on her own. Orihime didn't quite know how to respond to this kind of behavior. She was horrible at directly addressing issues, and she had always been successful at getting men to appease her. Now how was she supposed to deal with Ulquiorra? The thoughts circled around and around in her head uselessly. By the time Orihime finally resigned to just ask about the female caller in the morning, sleep finally came to take her away.

* * *

_In her dream, she couldn't see him. _

_There was so much fog; it was everywhere._

_She couldn't tell if she was running on pavement or grass and soil. She couldn't tell if it was night or day; the fog had stripped the environment of its entire identity. She knew he was close though, and the closer she got to him the more panicked she felt. Her heart was pounding and her stomach felt nauseated, but it all didn't stop her from running. The fog hid so many things from her; she could hardly see more than five feet ahead of her in the thickness of the air. _

_Where is he? Orihime thought desperately._

_The fog began to part, and she could see the dark road's pavement disappearing into the horizon. In the far off distance, she could see a bridge…and as the fog continued to part, she could finally see him._

_He stood on the bridge, staring down at the rapids and rocks, hypnotized by the rushing water below. He inched forward hesitantly, holding onto the guardrail. He was on the wrong side of the guardrail._

"_Ulquiorra! No! Wait!" She heard herself screaming. Her poor legs didn't want to run anymore; she had been running for too long. Her muscles ached and she felt like she was going to throw up, but she pressed forward, running as fast as she could._

_Suddenly, she was there, right in the center of the bridge. She stood in the exact same spot he had been standing in before he jumped. She got there just in time to see him fall. She leaped forward, one hand gripping the guardrail and the other reaching for his hand as he fell over the side of the bridge. The loud rushing water had risen up in violent currents that wanted swallowed him alive. _

_The last thing she remembered seeing was his white hand reaching out to her; but when her fingers briefly brushed against his, his entire body turned to ash. _

Orihime woke gasping for air. She felt like she had been the one drowning. In the darkness of the bedroom, the warmth of the bed and the sound of Ulquiorra's steady breathing brought immediate comfort to her. He was only a couple of inches from her, but it felt like he was too far away. He slept on his back, with an arm carelessly flung above his head. Orihime forced herself to take a deep breath, waiting for her heart beat to slow down. _It was just a dream_; _Ulquiorra is okay, he's right here_, she thought to herself as she reached over and pulled him into her arms. She placed one of her hands on his chest, over his beating heart, and silently listened to proof that he was still alive. _He looks so peaceful_, Orihime thought to herself as she watched his undisturbed sleeping face. She remembered that he had said the same about her when she had woken up in his car. Did everyone look peaceful in their sleep? She certainly hadn't felt peaceful while she had been dreaming.

Orihime felt incredibly guilty about her petty jealousy. His mysteries were his mysteries, and she would have to wait until he felt ready to share them with her. She scooted her body until she was pressed up against him. He was only in his boxers and his skin was deliciously warm and soothing. As she snuggled up against him she thanked god once more that he was okay…at least for now. The dream was only a figment of her fears, nothing more. Orihime gave her sleeping lover a kiss on the cheek before closing her own eyes and returning to slumber.

* * *

It had been a day since the visitation from Commander Yamamoto, Shunsui, and Ukitake. Rukia and Ichigo took Hisaki home despite their reservations about the safety of their house. But based on the little information known, everyone had decided that there was not a single location they could take Hisaki where they could feel more secure than they would have felt having him in their own home. Even though they couldn't agree on the best course of action, Ichigo and Rukia both had a strong desire to take advantage of the time they had left with Hisaki before his departure.

Orihime received a phone call from Tatsuki, informing her that there was to be a meeting at Chad's bar that evening to discuss the next best course of action. Everyone who was on 'Ichigo's side' was to come and give their support and ideas. When Orihime asked who would _not_ be coming, Tatsuki said, "Well obviously Rukia…" her voice turned into icy steel as she continued, "And _Renji_…"

Orihime couldn't help but grimace and feel sympathy for her best friend. It was clear that Renji's decision to side with Rukia was putting a lot of strain on their relationship. But it had been a given that the two would take separate sides on the issue: Tatsuki was Ichigo's oldest friend and Renji was Rukia's oldest friend. Orihime felt glad (even though it was a selfish indulgence) that Ulquiorra had made it clear that he would support Orihime no matter what.

Tatsuki explained that she had promised to pick up Ichigo from his house so they could go to Chad's bar together. Apparently Rukia had forbidden Ichigo from using their minivan and Ichigo's car was currently at the repair shop.

"Oh, can you pick me up too?" Orihime asked, suddenly remembering that her car was still parked at the Kuchiki-Kurosaki residence from Christmas night. "I'm at Ulquiorra's house and he left to go work at his office."

"Wow, moving in already huh?" Tatsuki teased.

"Oh, hush!" Orihime said scowling.

During the ride to the Kuchiki-Kurosaki house, Orihime recounted the events of the previous night to Tatsuki, ending with her discovery of the ex-girlfriend's telephone messages. She chose not to tell her best friend about her nightmare since she was still feeling a bit unnerved by it. By the Orihime was done rattling off a long list of insecurities, it was Tatsuki's turn to grimace.

"Seriously? That really surprises me…" Tatsuki began.

"What do you mean?" Orihime said, instinctively feeling defensive of Ulquiorra even though _she_ was the one upset with him.

"Oh hush yourself; I'm not saying I'm surprised that he has ex-girlfriends. But come on, you're not telling me that you weren't as surprised as I am to hear that he's got an ex-girlfriend with enough balls to contact him like that? I just didn't see him as the kind of guy who would date that kind of woman. He seems like the no bullshit kind of guy, you know?" Tatsuki said, raising her eyebrows. Her comment prompted Orihime to scowl and stare out the window at the passing landscape.

"Yeah…I guess you're right. He doesn't seem to be the kind of guy to put up with all that drama," Orihime said, thinking guiltily about how she had given him the cold shoulder after she had heard the message.

"Well…do you think you'd feel better if you knew more about her?" Tatsuki asked. Orihime tilted her head, giving herself time to think about the question for a moment before answering.

"Honestly?"

"Yes."

"Then…yes, I would feel better…but only if the information I found out about her is good…you know?" Orihime said, feeling sheepish about her answer. "I guess I'm just feeling insecure about all of this."

"Orihime, he's clearly no longer interested in her. He would have listened to all her messages if he actually cared about her," Tatsuki pointed out.

"But what if he only didn't listen to all the messages because I was there?" Orihime asked, knitting her brows together.

"Ah…" Tatsuki paused, thinking to herself: _that very well may have been the reason why he didn't listen to all the messages_. Tatsuki tried to think of a way to placate Orihime's fears as they pulled up to the Kuchiki-Kurosaki residence.

"What do you think I should do?" Orihime said in a small voice while she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"I don't know when it happened, but my eccentric friend in high school managed to turn into my neurotic friend in adulthood," Tatsuki said with dry humor. "I'm kidding…" Tatsuki said when her friend gave her an incredulous look. The dark-haired girl sighed loudly as she ran a hand through her short crop of hair. "I think you shouldn't worry too much about it…just wait and see if she keeps calling."

Orihime frowned as she reluctantly followed her friend out of the car toward the front of the house. Both ladies were halfway to the entrance of the Kuchiki-Kurosaki residence when the front door burst open− it swung 90 degrees and slammed into the side-rail of the small stoop as a tall, dark, and handsome man stormed out; his eyes focused ahead of him, lips pressed into a straight line of discontent, and legs moved swiftly and purposefully.

"…Hi Chad…" Tatsuki said awkwardly, stopping in midstride. A lost-in-thought Orihime nearly slammed into the back of her taller friend as she broke out of her day dream and noticed the commotion. Chad walked briskly past the two ladies, sparing them only a short grunt of a greeting.

The front door slammed open again− this time a tall, slender, dark-haired girl scrambled out, nearly tripping on the front steps as she ran after Chad.

"Chad! Wait!" Karin cried, hopelessly too far behind to stop him front getting into his oversized tan truck.

The young Kurosaki flew past the two older women as she ran down the driveway and to the street where Chad had already started the car.

"Are my contacts being funky, or did I just see Karin Kurosaki crying?" Tatsuki asked, turning to her red-haired friend with large eyes of shock.

"I believe that was Karin Kurosaki and she was indeed crying," Orihime said slowly, her jaw open as she stared helpless at the drama unfolding before her.

"I have never seen such sight…" Tatsuki added, too shocked to realize the possible inappropriateness of her dry humor.

With a large roar from his truck's engine, Chad drove off within a matter of seconds. Karin stood in the street, crying uncontrollably as she watched the truck disappear from sight. When everyone could no longer hear the loud truck's engine and it was clear that Chad was not returning, the young brunette Kurosaki crossed her arms protectively around her chest and marched slowly back toward the house. Her chest wracked with sobs as tears slid down her face; her nose and eyes were turning pink from crying, and her mascara was quickly smudging.

"Karin…are you okay?" Orihime asked gently, eyebrows knit with maternal concern. Orihime tried to reach out and give the young girl a hug as she walked by them, but Karin quickly brushed Orihime off.

"I'm FINE!" Karin dismissed firmly, sniffling as she stomped into the house. Orihime and Tatsuki gave each other wide-eyed stupefied looks.

"What just happened?" Tatsuki asked.

"I don't know!" Orihime answered.

The two women sighed in unison, pausing only for a brief moment before running toward the house in hopes of catching the finishing act of the soap opera they had just witnessed. When Orihime and Tatsuki reached the main living room, Yuzu was already trying desperately to comfort her twin sister.

"K..Karin, you have to tell me what happened. I can't help you if you don't tell me what happened," Yuzu said hesitantly with an arm around her sister. She was surprised that Karin was even allowing her to sort-of hug her; Karin usually never wanted any kind of consoling when she was upset.

"I'm here! I'm here! What's wrong? What's going on?" A confused and terrified Renji asked as he arrived in the living room.

"Why are you out of breath?" Tatsuki asked, raising an eyebrow at her boyfriend.

"I was in the basement napping and I ran up when I heard the noise. What's going on? What happened? Where's the baby?" Renji said in a single breath, searching the room in panic.

"The baby's right here," Rukia muttered as she entered the room with Hisaki in her arms. She held the baby against her chest and was gently rubbing and patting the baby's back in an attempt to procure a burp. At the sight of Rukia and the child, Renji released a loud sigh of relief and plopped himself down on the empty couch.

"OH my god! I swear, I almost had a heart attack," Renji said, throwing an arm over his eyes melodramatically.

"What's going on?" Ichigo asked in an annoyed voice as he joined the rest of the crowd. He held a baby bottle in one hand and a burping blanket with little brown bears in his other hand. At the sight of his crying sister, Ichigo shoved the baby supplies onto the nearest side table as he rushed to Karin's side.

"Karin?" Ichigo asked as if he wasn't sure if the crying brunette was really his little sister. He approached her with concern and apprehension. "Karin, what happened?"

The dark-haired girl continued sobbing, only further burying her face into her sister's shoulder in response to Ichigo.

"I was in the kitchen preparing some food and Karin and Chad were on the back patio talking about something. And then Chad stormed inside and then ran out the front door…" Yuzu explained carefully, while brushing strands of Karin's hair away from her damp face.

"We were just coming in when we saw Chad come out and run out to his car. He barely even noticed us!" Tatsuki added. "He looked pretty pissed…"

"What? Really? Chad?" Ichigo said, raising an eyebrow. _Karin's crying and Chad is pissed? What is the world coming to? _Ichigo thought.

"Karin, what's wrong? It's okay, you can tell us. We won't judge," Rukia said gently as she swayed back and forth, trying to keep the baby happy. It seemed Hisaki preferred being held when Rukia was moving around, which forced both Rukia and Ichigo to constantly be pacing the house whenever they needed to feed him.

"Did…did Chad do something?" Yuzu ventured hesitantly, giving everyone else in the room a look that said 'I know that's preposterous that Chad would do anything to upset anyone, but I had to ask.'

"He broke up with me!" Karin snapped before fleeing the room.

"Wait! Karin…" Yuzu cried as she ran after her sister.

"Karin and Chad were dating?" Ichigo asked in bewilderment, his chocolate brown eyes managing to become even bigger than they already were. Rukia cleared her throat nervously as she turned away so she didn't have to face her husband with a guilty 'I already knew' look.

The room remained awkwardly silent as no one seemed to want to answer Ichigo's question. Rukia carried the baby over to the front window and stared out at her front yard for any evidence of Chad, while Renji kept his arm over his eyes so he wouldn't have to look at Ichigo. Tatsuki took the opportunity to walk over to the couch where Renji laid and pushed his legs out of the way so she could sit next to him. It was only Orihime who froze in place, staring at the floor since she was unable to look at Ichigo eyes. Ichigo examined each of his friends' faces before realizing that it would probably be Orihime who would mostly likely spill the beans.

"Inoue…what do you know?" Ichigo said slowly as he approached her.

"Huh? Wha? Me? What are you talking about? Haha…" Orihime stuttered. Her grey eyes grew huge as she noticed Ichigo's encroachment. "I don't know anything…" She lied as she backed away from Ichigo.

"You look guilty," Ichigo stated with his usual frown fixed upon his face.

"Wha? Guilty? Guilty of what?" Orihime said, continuing to back up as Ichigo got closer.

"What do you know, Inoue? Tell me!" Ichigo demanded.

"Ahhh…." Orihime said flustered as her back ran into the wall behind her with a loud _thud!_ She closed her eyes tightly so she wouldn't have to look at her friend who was quickly intimidating her with his towering height. Ichigo was only a man of medium stature, but he was still several inches taller than Orihime.

"Inoue! …" Ichigo yelled, but was quickly cut off by his wife.

"For god's sake, Ichigo!" Rukia interrupted. "Leave the poor girl alone!" Orihime opened her eyes at the sound of Rukia's voice, breathing a deep sigh of relief. Ichigo turned around to glare at his wife.

"I will…if one of you would please explain all the guilty looks on your faces!" Ichigo said; his voice was low and growling with an edge that came from very little sleep and patience.

"Oh for fuck's sake, Chad and Karin have been dating forever! If you weren't so blind all the time, you would have noticed this on your own!" Renji snapped as he sat up suddenly on the couch. Tatsuki blinked several times, surprised at her boyfriend's outburst and his clear antagonism. Without even meaning to, she reached over and took Renji's hand into her own in an attempt to calm him down.

"What?" Ichigo said, staring at his friend with shocked eyes despite the fact that Renji was only confirming what everyone already knew. "How long have you guys known? …How long were they dating?"

"The signs have been there all along," Rukia explain, her hand still patting Hisaki's back. She was finally rewarded with a loud _burp!_ followed by a small explosion of baby milk vomit. "Ugh…" Rukia said with frustration as she walked over to the table where Ichigo had discarded the baby blanket.

"Really?" Ichigo's voice squeaked. Orihime, glad to be freed from Ichigo's interrogation, walked over to one of the upholstered chairs and flopped down into it with emotional exhaustion. Of all the human emotions, guilt was certainly one of the most taxing.

"Well I think that's one of the reasons why Karin's been so emotional lately," Rukia pointed out absently as she wiped the baby's spit up off her already dirtied shirt. Her mind was currently more concerned with her baby's eating habits. "Why does he always seem to not want the milk?" Rukia asked with distress.

"He's still getting used being fed, Rukia," Orihime explained gently with a smile, her eyes glazed at the beautiful sight of the baby− despite the white milky drool on the baby's chin. "You have to remember, up until now he's been getting all his nutrients through his umbilical cord. It's only been a day…eventually he'll become familiar with how much milk his little belly needs and stop feeding when he's full."

"Really?" Rukia asked, giving Orihime a desperate look of gratitude. "I really hope so…every time he spits up I feel like I did something wrong…" Rukia said quietly as she readjusted Hisaki's position in her arms. The baby squirmed a little bit before closing his eyes calmly after the satisfying burp.

"What signs do you speak of?" Ichigo asked, returning to the original topic in a quieter voice after remembering the presence of his son.

"We haven't seen Chad date anyone in a few months; usually he has a steady rotation of girls he dates, you know?" Tatsuki offered.

"I didn't think of that…" Renji said, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Chad does usually have a steady supply of women…that lucky pimp..." Renji said dryly with unnecessary humor. His casual comment elicited glares from both Tatsuki and Ichigo. Tatsuki let go of Renji's hand, shoving it back at him and pushing him away. Ichigo wanted to fire something back at Renji about how he did not want to picture his best friend as a pimp who had been dating his little sister for months, but he couldn't find the right words; Ichigo had to settle for grinding his teeth with anger.

"And Karin has been on edge a lot lately," Rukia added, hoping to distract everyone from her friend's crude remark.

"Karin's always on edge, that's her personality," Ichigo pointed out. Rukia sighed, noticing that Hisaki had fall asleep finally in her arms. She walked over to an empty chair and sat down as slowly as possible so she wouldn't wake her sleeping son.

"Yeah, but it's kind of been extreme and out of place. Remember when we were decorating the bar for your dad's birthday party and she had that little outburst? She was all upset and defending Orihime and Ulquiorra, but I think she was really talking about herself…and Chad," Rukia said.

"She was defending us? Awww…" Orihime interjected, pleased that someone understood her relationship with Ulquiorra…even if it was due to Karin's own situation.

"And at the Christmas dinner? They were acting all weird and then they were partners during charades…" Rukia continued.

"That's right, they disappeared together in the middle of the game; and then when they came back, they wouldn't give an explanation of why they went outside," Tatsuki recounted.

Orihime tried her best to suppress her instinctual reaction to Tatsuki's observation, remembering how Chad and Karin had come out to see if she and Ulquiorra had been alright. She silently thanked the couple for their discretion, especially since it seemed to come at their own expense.

"They won at charades too!" Renji added bitterly, thinking about how annoyed he had been that Tatuski (his partner) couldn't get his 'Justin Bieber' impersonation.

"Aww man…" Ichigo said quietly as he stuffed his hands into his pockets and thought about his sister. "I've been so caught up in my own world with the baby…Ryuuken's death…, I didn't even notice." He frowned, feeling guilty about being such a bad brother.

"I know…it's probably weird thinking about them together…" Tatsuki said sympathetically.

"Weird? …Weird doesn't even come close to describing it…He's too old for her…and−" Ichigo started to say.

"He's not THAT much older than her…" Rukia cut in. "He's only…what? Three or four years older than her?"

"I think it must seem like more than that because they're both in such different phases of their lives," Orihime pointed out.

"Yeah, she's still in college and he's been a business owner for several years now," Tatsuki said.

"I wonder why they broke up…" Renji wondered out loud, scratching his chin in thought.

"Are you really surprised? Chad's never been with a girl for any extended amount of time," Tatsuki commented dryly.

"Forget why they broke up, I'm still trying to figure out how they got together in the first place! …So how did you guys find out about this? How did you know for sure?" Ichigo asked, frowning with suspicion.

"Renji walked in on them making out in the kitchen the night of your dad's birthday party," Tatsuki explained.

"Really?" Ichigo said, turning to look at Renji. He regarded the red-haired man closely with narrowed eyes for a silent moment before asking, "Anything _else_ you've been hiding from me?"

"What the fuck's that supposed to mean?" Renji fired back, his tattooed forehead wrinkling as he frowned.

"It seems lately like you know quite a bit, that's all. I mean you knew about the threats to our baby, and now I find out you knew about Chad and Karin too," Ichigo said, voice growling with intent.

"I didn't think it was my place to tattle on Chad to you!" Renji said, raising his voice. "You sure like to dictate who everyone can and _cannot_ date!"

Renji's increase in volume caused baby Hisaki to wake up. As the baby started crying loudly, Rukia stood up and scowled at the two men.

"I'm sorry if I actually _care_ about protecting the people I love," Ichigo replied through grinding teeth.

"That's enough, Ichigo!" Rukia snapped, cradling and swaying Hisaki in her arms in an attempt to calm him down. She knew immediately what her husband was trying to imply. It irritated her to hell and back that he could not see past his resentful rage enough to think rationally, but she was too tired and emotionally drained to fight with her husband anymore. She had already done enough arguing with him. Without further comment, Rukia left the room with baby Hisaki and headed toward the nursery.

Ichigo stared helplessly at his wife as she disappeared down the hall; part of him burned with anger and the other part of him felt the heavy weight of guilt. He hated when Rukia was genuinely mad at him. They had spent so much of their youth bickering and purposely baiting one another into arguments that disagreements between them were commonplace enough to not merit too much concern. But when Rukia was truly upset with Ichigo, she did not argue or engage in shouting matches; she withdrew and became cold and silent.

In the quiet moment after Rukia left, Renji continued to glare at Ichigo; steam could practically be seen blowing out of his ears and his face was turning red with emotion. Finally he snapped, standing up suddenly and yelling, "FUCK!" before he stomped out of the room with frustration

"Renji!" Tatsuki called after him, turning and watching him leave. She was half annoyed and half concerned with the man; her emotions always seemed mixed when it came to Renji.

"Don't. Talk. To. Me." He spat out each syllable with vitriol as he disappeared into the back of the house. Tatsuki suppressed a gasp of shock at Renji's snapping remark; her big brown eyes blinked several times as she tried her best to hold back the instant hurt she felt.

Ichigo, Tatsuki, and Orihime were left alone in the sitting room; each of them silent and at a loss for words. Orihime closed her eyes, sighing as she sank into the chair she was sitting in. All the tension seemed only escalate as time went on and it worried Orihime to death about the possible outcomes. She hated when there was discord between her friends. When she finally opened her eyes, after what seemed like an hour, she saw that both Tatsuki and Ichigo still had faces of pain and regret.

"Maybe we should get going guys…" Orihime suggested, hoping it would be some kind of solution. Ichigo seemed lost in his own world for another moment before his brown eyes drifted toward the door.

"You're right, Inoue. We were supposed to meet…Chad," Ichigo said; tension could be seen in his jaw as he grinded his teeth together with frustration. Ichigo dejectedly shuffled to the front hallway, where he pulled out his old tan leather coat.

"Yeah, let's just get out of here," Tatsuki agreed as she stood up and headed for the door without waiting for Orihime. Orihime had to rush a little bit in order to keep up with her two friends. She was still wearing her coat and didn't need to retrieve it from the front hall closet, but she had somehow managed to fall behind them already.

* * *

When they arrived at Chad's bar, they found the front doors locked. Even though it was expected since Chad had shut down the bar for the day, it still took Ichigo by surprise. His immediate reaction was desolation− he felt like Chad somehow locked him out of his life. Why hadn't Chad felt comfortable enough to tell Ichigo about him and Karin dating? Since when did Chad have secrets? It seemed like Chad was no longer Ichigo's closest friend...but Ichigo knew this wasn't true, and so he scowled and forced those thoughts out his mind. During the car ride there, he had thought about Karin and Chad over and over again. He realized that he was not actually angry with Chad− he rarely ever got upset with Chad. This wasn't about Chad and Karin, or Renji having secrets, or Rukia choosing to give into the old man Yamamoto. This was about himself. Ichigo finally understood the source of his anger. He was angry at himself. He hated how much of his life seemed to be out of his control; and he knew most of that feeling of helplessness had to do with the fact that he had been so clueless about what had been going on right in front of his eyes.

"Open up, Chad! It's us!" Ichigo yelled loudly as he pounded on the wooden doors. Orihime and Tatsuki waited a few steps behind Ichigo, both of their hands stuffed into the pockets of their coats. As they waited in the freezing cold, Orihime wondered randomly to herself when she had last seen the sun. It had been grey and cloudy for several days, making the ominous atmosphere around them seem only gloomier. After a loud shuffling, the big wooden doors opened and Chad appeared.

"Ichigo, I am sorry," Chad said right away, knowing that Ichigo had probably found out about him and Karin by now.

"Hey Chad, it's alright. We're not here to talk about that," Ichigo greeted, his face stiff as he tried his best to push aside his unreasonable irritation. Chad studied his friend's face carefully, taking note of Ichigo's demeanor.

"Come in then," Chad said simply as he stepped aside. The friends filed inside without further comment. They hung up their coats by the door before they entered the main room of the bar. The dark warm interior was flooded with yellow incandescent lights; and neon multi-colored Christmas lights still decorated the place. It was odd seeing the bar completely empty; Chad rarely ever closed the bar, but recent events had forced him to rethink his priorities− gone was his usual devotion to his business. Instead Chad had decided he would close the bar whenever needed until their current situation was taken care of. His loyalty to his friends came first.

Orihime smiled, pleasantly surprised to see Uryuu already sitting at the bar. Her eyes darkened though when she saw the glass of scotch in his hand. He didn't used to drink this much, but that was before his father had gotten sick. Uryuu didn't bother to turn around when he heard their entrance; instead he greeted them with an unenthused, "Hey guys."

"Hi!" Orihime chimed, hoping to cheer him up. She walked over to him and gave him a tight hug before settling into the bar seat next to him.

"Inoue," he said, giving her a brief smile.

"What can I get for everybody?" Chad asked, taking his signature position behind the bar.

"I'll just take my regular beer," Ichigo said, sitting down into a wooden chair. It was one of the four matching chairs that had haphazardly been placed around an old worn-down table.

"I'll have the same," Tatsuki said, sitting down next him. Chad nodded and then turned to Orihime for her order. Orihime did not seem to notice that Chad was waiting for her though; instead she stared at Uryuu's almost empty glass of scotch with an odd faraway look of disappointment.

"Inoue?" Chad prompted when Orihime didn't give an answer right away.

"Huh? Uhm…I'll just have some water I guess…" Orihime said; she felt oddly uncomfortable drinking alcohol so early, even though it was late afternoon.

"So what's the status? How are things going?" Uryuu asked, finally turning around in his seat so he could face Ichigo and Tatsuki.

"How do you think things are going?" Ichigo replied, eagerly awaiting his beer. He kept his eyes lowered, staring his hands which sat helplessly on the table in front of him. Uryuu didn't respond right away to Ichigo but his blue eyes darkened with sympathy.

"At least the baby and Rukia are healthy, right?" Uryuu offered.

"Yeah, I guess…" Ichigo murmured, taking the beer from Chad, who had been distributing everyone's drinks to them.

"So what did you guys find out?" Tatsuki asked, leaving her beer unattended on the table for the moment.

"Well Chad and I went over to Urahara's store, but it was completely vacant. It's like he and everyone else moved or something," Uryuu confessed with a worried look in his eyes. His news caught Ichigo's attention immediately.

"What? Where could they have gone?" Ichigo asked, startled.

"Perhaps back to Soul Society?" Chad hypothesized.

"That wouldn't make sense …" Ichigo said, his brows furrowed in thought.

"Yeah, I know. In all these years, they've never shown any interest in going back to Soul Society," Uryuu said.

"What are we supposed to do then?" Orihime asked.

"Man…I was really counting on them. Urahara always knows something…this just doesn't seem right that they'd be gone," Ichigo said.

"I know, Chad and I thought things seemed fishy. We could see from the window that all of the stuff inside the store was gone too," Uryuu explained. "Maybe they just moved to a different building? I don't know…"

"We stopped by the Visored warehouse and it was also vacant," Chad added.

"What the fuck is going?" Ichigo cried out. He ran his hands through his bright orange hair and then gripped the strands with frustration− he wanted to pull out all his hair he was so upset.

"Maybe the Commander and the other Captains already visited them…you know? Like they did to us," Orihime offered. She played with the glass of water in front of her, rotating the glass back and forth between her hands.

"That's very possible…" Uryuu said. "Either way though, it looks like we're on our own."

"No! I was counting on old man Urahara…" Ichigo said, finally letting go of his hair.

"Did you have some kind of plan or something, Ichigo? Or did you just want to ask him what he knew about the situation?" Tatsuki asked, taking a swig of her beer.

"No plans…it's just…that old man always knows _something_," Ichigo replied dejectedly. "God, guys, we have to think up some kind of strategy…we don't have much time before they take Hisaki away." Orihime could see that his empty eyes were dulled by the thought of losing his son.

"What's so frustrating is that we don't even have Renji or Rukia here to help us think up a plan," Tatsuki lamented bitterly.

"I know, we could definitely use a couple of more people's suggestions," Chad agreed.

"Ok…let's think guys," Tatsuki said quickly, racking her brain for ideas. "They are taking Hisaki to a secure location, and then taking Rukia to another…they think doing that is going to keep Hisaki safe from being kidnapped by Mayuri or whoever is working with him…"

"I know!" Ichigo said, snapping his fingers. "I'll just have to _show_ them that I can defend Hisaki on my own!"

"What do you mean, Kurosaki?" Uryuu asked skeptically.

"I'll just show them how strong and powerful I still am. The old man Commander has relied on me several times to help him out, that means he at least respects me."

"Mmmm, I don't know Kurosaki," Uryuu replied averting his eyes and placing his empty glass of scotch back onto the bar. "I've always felt like the Commander is afraid of you…you know, because your powers are so unpredictable."

"Huh?" Ichigo said, his big brown eyes staring at Uryuu. "If he's afraid of me then why wouldn't he just leave the protecting up to me?"

"Can you really trust someone you're afraid of?" Uryuu pointed out.

"Ishida is right. The Captain Commander has different priorities than we do," Chad added.

"The Commander is more concerned about the threats to stability and Soul Society's powers. He's not thinking about the safety of your baby. He knew that you would have different priorities. He knew that your main objective would be to keep Rukia and the baby safe, regardless of how that affected the stability of the spirit world," Uryuu said, sounding confident in his explanation. He tried his best to hide the fact that his ramblings were a product of one too many scotches and just random thoughts.

"So you're saying…" Ichigo asked, giving Uryuu's his undivided attention. Normally, Ichigo would do nothing but question Uryuu's logic, but this was the safety of his wife and child; Ichigo was willing to listen to anyone who was on the side of protecting his family.

"I'm saying waving your big sword around in front of the Captain Commander and all the other Captains probably won't do you any good," Uryuu finished, waving to Chad for another scotch. Chad pretended that he didn't see Uryuu's request as he considered what his two friends were saying.

"You would need time to rebuild your strength after such a long absence from fighting," Chad said, folding his arms over his chest as he leaned against the back counter. "We all do."

"_Can_ you still use your powers Ichigo? Did they seal them away or anything," Tatsuki asked.

"Urahara was _supposed_ to, but I never went to his place to get it done and he never bothered me about it. I think everyone thinks my powers are sealed away, but I'm pretty sure I can bring them back with no problem," Ichigo said with false confidence. Everyone gave Ichigo a skeptical look except Orihime, who had noticed all the doubt in her friends faces.

"My powers came back without any effort. In fact, it happened without me even really thinking about it," Orihime told them.

"How did it happen then? Are you saying it happened all on its own?" Ichigo asked, alert with interest.

"Ah…" Orihime tried her best to think back to the moment when it had happened. She remembered the beep of the flatline when the little girl's heart had stopped, but what happened in between the flatline and the revival was fuzzy. "I guess it could have been all the emotions I felt at the time? I was devastated when I realized the girl had died…I put my head down on the examining table and my hands were still on her chest…and then it just happened."

"Hmm…" Ichigo said, listening to Orihime for a moment before dismissing her. "Well that doesn't help me too much."

"Ichigo!" Tatsuki scowled.

"This is more about brains than brawns at this point," Uryuu said dryly. "There's no one to explicitly fight but there are a lot of people to outsmart."

"He's right, it's like everyone is trying predict everyone else's next step," Chad said.

"If that's what we're trying to do then we have the advantage, don't we?" Tatsuki asked. Despite having very little experience in dealing with Soul Society, she had seen enough through her friends to understand the complexities of Soul Society's politics. "We know what Soul Society is going to do and probably what Mayuri will do, but they don't know what we'll do."

"Tatsuki, _we_ don't know what _we're _going to do," Uryuu dryly pointed out.

"Why can't we just do what they want to do but do it first?" Tatsuki casually replied.

"Huh?" Uryuu, Chad and Orihime said at once.

"That's brilliant, Tatsuki!" Ichigo cheered, standing up suddenly. "Great idea! That's what we'll do!"

"Uh…thanks…what did I just suggest we do exactly?" Tatsuki asked with confusion.

"We'll hide Hisaki before Soul Society comes to get him!" Ichigo explained excitedly.

"Are you suggesting that we kidnap your own son?" Chad asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes!" Ichigo said, clapping his hands loudly. Each of his friends stared at him with questioning eyes for a quiet moment. No one was quite sure whether Ichigo was being completely serious considering the strange gleam in his eyes. When no one replied, Ichigo continued with on his idea. "We've got three days to think of a place we could take Hisaki where Rukia and Soul Society won't be able to find him."

"Do you really want to be lying to your wife?" Chad asked.

"Yeah, and finding such a location is going to be easy!" Uryuu said sarcastically while shaking his head. "I wish you would just think through these crazy ideas of yours for once."

"Ishida, his plan is not unreasonable. We could all do some research to determine the best way to hide Hisaki from Soul Society. The Visored hid their warehouse using some kind of kido, correct?" Chad turned to Orihime for an answer. The question threw Orihime off guard for a moment before she answered.

"It wasn't exactly kido…Hachi used something similar to my shield, except his was much stronger and was able to hide an entire warehouse. I've never really been able to develop anything like that," Orihime said hesitantly. She was wary of where her friends were going with this plan since it sounded like it might hinge on her skills. She felt conflicted, wanting to help her friends but also feeling repulsed and insecure about her own powers.

"Inoue, do you think you could make something similar?" Ichigo asked the expected question. Orihime squirmed in her seat, feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

"Uhm…I suppose I could try? I mean, I haven't done anything like this in a while," Orihime murmured, staring down at her glass of water.

"I don't think we should put all of this on Inoue," Uryuu cut in, noticing his friend's distress. "We'll all look into ways to hide Hisaki. I can check out some of my dad's random warehouses he kept for Quincy training."

"Well we don't have much time…we should meet again soon," Chad said. "How about tomorrow, same time? We can meet here again."

"Sounds good, Chad," Ichigo said nodding. He was slowly starting to feel better now that they had some kind of plan. "Okay guys…not a single word to Rukia or Renji, okay? Or _anyone_ else for that matter."

"Anyone?" Orihime asked nervously in a high-pitched voice.

"I would say the less people who know the better," Uryuu responded. "No offense, Inoue. But what if they were to question him? He's already at Soul Society's mercy."

"You guys still don't trust him?" Orihime said with a huff. She scowled and crossed her arms over her chest.

"You can tell him, Inoue," Ichigo said, ignoring Uryuu's comment. He did not forget the former Espada's response at the hospital when Ichigo had asked him whose side he was on. "At this point, Schiffer is a closer ally than Renji." Ichigo's eyes looked unwavering in their determination.

"Let's not draw enemy lines yet," Orihime added quickly after noticing how Tatsuki's brown eyes darkened at the mention of Renji's name.

"Inoue is right. The Captain Commander may be more interested in keeping peace than protecting Hisaki, but Renji and Rukia have the same priorities as us," Chad pointed out.

"Yeah, they just believe in doing things a different way," Orihime concluded with a firm nod. Even though Ichigo still looked a bit unhappy at the thought of Renji and Rukia's opposition, he forced himself to push those thoughts away for the moment.

"Alright, tomorrow: same time, same place guys!" Ichigo shouted.

* * *

Ulquiorra came by Chad's bar to pick up Orihime after the meeting. She had text messaged him earlier that afternoon about her evening plans and he had offered to come by after he was done working. They negotiated dinner on the car ride home, finally agreeing on Thai take-out before following the maze of the city streets back to Ulquiorra's house. It was winter, and so it was completely dark by the time the couple finally parked their car in the driveway.

"I hope they gave us utensils…I haven't bought any silverware yet," Ulquiorra mentioned as they both got out of the car. Orihime laughed at her boyfriend as she grabbed her purse and the bag of take-out food.

"Seriously, we need to take you shopping Ulquiorra," she said as she joined back up with him, looping her arm around his. Standing on her tip toes, Orihime gave him a short kiss before they both turned to head into the house. It was then that they noticed that their car was not the only one in the driveway. The darkness of evening and the lack of streetlights made it easy for the little blue beetle car to go unnoticed. Orihime and Ulquiorra froze when they saw the car and both their eyes grew wide with shock as they finally noticed their guest leaning against her vehicle.

"ULQUI!" Nel cheered as she straightened. She had just been getting into her car after ringing Ulquiorra's doorbell about twenty-five times when she heard them approaching. When she realized that the owner of the sleek modern house was finally coming home, she waited outside for them.

"I'm so happy to see you! Ugh, I was so worried about you! You have no idea! I was practically crying all the way here from Los Angeles!" Nel cried as she skipped over. Without a single warning, she launched herself at Ulquiorra, wrapping her arms around him and smothering his left cheek with kisses. Orihime jumped back from them, surprised by the sudden show of affection. She helplessly stood several feet away, afraid that the woman's swinging arms of enthusiasm would accidentally knock her over.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Ulquiorra growled with great disdain as he tried to fend her off.

"I told you I was coming, silly!" Nel grinned, her arms still locked around Ulquiorra's neck.

"Ahem…" Orihime cleared her throat, trying to bring attention to the fact that the two former Espada were not alone. Nel stopped cuddling Ulquiorra for a moment as she finally turned and noticed Orihime.

"Orihime? Is that you? Oh my gosh! You look exactly the same!" Nel said with a large grin as she continued to refused to let go of the now desperately flailing Ulquiorra_._

_I look exactly the same? Was that an insult?_ Orihime quickly thought to herself as she shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "H…Hi Nelliel," Orihime said quietly.

Nel regarded the orange-haired girl before her speculatively. She had known that Ichigo and his friends lived in this city, but for some reason she had managed to forget them in her frantic search for Ulquiorra. When Ulquiorra's car had pulled up, Nel had been so excited to have finally found him that she completely blocked out Orihime's presence. Now though, after giving Orihime a once-over look, Nel noticed how self-conscious Orihime was being: averting her eyes, fumbling with the handles of her purse and take-out bag, shifting back and forth. The orange-haired girl was very uncomfortable. Nel looked down at the dark-haired Espada in her arms and then back to the orange-haired girl...and then back down at Ulquiorra again before it dawned on her.

"OOOOOHHH! Hahaha! Are you guys together? Is that why you came home together so late?" Nel asked, laughing at how ridiculous she might appear to this relative stranger. She finally released Ulquiorra. Ulquiorra almost fell over onto the hard cement driveway with the hard push he had given her in his last attempt to get out of her arms and the force of the sudden freedom Nel had given him. "Did you move here to be with Orihime? Oh my gosh! I must look so silly!"

"What are you doing here Nelliel?" Ulquiorra asked, glaring at the buxom green-haired beauty as he fixed his coat and shirt; she had managed to rumple up his coat, shirt and hair quite a bit with her adoration.

"I told you in the, like, sixty voicemail messages I left you. So are you guys dating?" Nel asked excitedly as she alternated between staring at Ulquiorra and staring at Orihime.

"Dr. Inoue and I are together, yes," Ulquiorra answered coldly as he stepped over to Orihime.

"Doctor? What kind of doctor? Do you have a PhD like Ulqui does?" Nel asked.

"No, I'm an MD," Orihime said, offering a shy smile and feeling slightly better since Ulquiorra had confirmed their relationship and moved back to her side.

"Oh… I didn't know you were so smart! I would have never guessed," Nel commented, laughing. "Haha, well you must think I'm some kind of crazy ex-girlfriend stalker or something, don't you?"

"Haha…I guess," Orihime replied, grimacing at the woman's audaciousness. _You do look totally crazy,_ Orihime thought to herself as she assessed Nelliel. She couldn't help but feel shabby next to the green-haired girl. Nelliel looked quite fashionable in her banded color block dress of blue and grey, her tan trench coat and her black high heels. She had clearly not dressed for the city's frigid temperatures since her legs were bare and she wore no scarf, mittens, or hat.

Orihime's previous contact with Nel had been very minimal. Orihime had not seen Nel since she had reverted back into her child form after Nnoitra's fight with Ichigo and Kenpachi. She had known that Nel returned to her true form after she regained all her reiatsu and that she was arrested with all the other Espada after the end of the War; however, Orihime had given little thought to Nel as the years had gone by. Her memories of the Winter War were so dominated by Ulquiorra that she barely ever remembered any of the other Espada.

"You have nothing to worry about. I'm not here to steal Ulqui from you," Nel said reassuringly. She walked up to the couple and reached over to fluff Ulquiorra's hair. "Ulqui here's like my little brother!"

"Stop that!" Ulquiorra snapped as he batted Nel's hand away. "How did you find me?"

"Oh come on, it's not that hard," Nel said rolling her eyes. "Is that take-out? Because I'm starving and I do love Thai food!" Nel stepped up to Orihime and took the take-out bag from her. "I have so much to tell you Ulquiorra! I take it you didn't listen to any of my messages did you?"

"No," Ulquiorra replied indifferently.

"Is everything okay?" Orihime asked, noticing the concern in Nel's hazel eyes.

"No! Grimmjow and Nnoitra have gone missing!"

* * *

Yayyy...I've been waiting forever for the other Espada to show up. I'm very excited for the next chapter. I also want to welcome all the new readers! I'm incredibly impressed with anyone who's joined us at this point- reading 17 chapters is a lot to do in order to catch up to where the story is right now, so kudos to you! As always my comments and the song for this chapter at the usual place: mmagnoliastorm-livejournal-com, replace the - with . Reviews are always welcomed of course. Thanks for reading!


	18. Chapter 18: The Past

**Chapter 18: The Past**

1. The Espada

When they were first set free into the human world, they stayed together. It wasn't even an option to split up− they had been through too much as a group already. None of them felt any real allegiance to each other; some of them barely knew one another, while others displayed open contempt for their former comrades. But their connection was undeniable and none of them had enough hubris to venture out on their own. After being forced to share a small prison cell for weeks, it wasn't surprising that the four remaining Espada eventually became comfortable with each other's presence. Their collective foray into the human world was very much a product of the sentence they were given and their own choices to remain intact as a group. At the time, most of Central 46's attention was focused on dealing with Aizen. There was so much turmoil at the end of the war that the remaining Espada's fates were not given that much thought. The exile into the human world was just a way of getting rid of them since there was so much opposition to their deaths.

They were guided by Urahara and watched and monitored by the Secret Mobile Corps. They lived together in a large Victorian house in a mid-sized city near the sea, learning the ways of the world and becoming familiar with their new bodies. Urahara was sympathetic, even though he rarely showed it; he tried his best to give what knowledgeable guidance he could before they were released into the world. He could see the emptiness of their broken spirits, the doubts and fears in their hearts, and the fatiguing psychological effects of defeat. Urahara had made it his goal to help the Espada have some version of a dignified life.

Perhaps that was why they had all ended up with such successful careers in their human lives. By their very nature, they all possessed superior intelligence− it was a basic requirement for a hollow if he or she wanted to become an arrancar who could serve Aizen. They were provided with all and any of the resources they needed in order to live a normal, mundane, and provincial life. Ulquiorra quickly discovered an affinity for reading, learning, writing and the general pursuit of knowledge. When he mentioned that he wanted access to some rare books at Columbia University's Butler library, Urahara suggested that he actually enroll in some classes. When Nnoitra picked up an old guitar and became interested in music, Urahara provided him with all the music supplies he needed. They each eventually found something to occupy their time with the help of Urahara. Yet, there were no intentions for the Espada to be able to live happy lives. There was nothing set into place to facilitate happiness, fulfillment, or meaningfulness; only enough guidance was provided for them to blend in with humans, and material support was only provided so they could occupy themselves. Nevertheless each of them tried to find a way to make their human lives bearable; they had to in order to keep their sanity.

Eventually Urahara left and the presence of the Secret Mobile Corps' surveillance became less and less apparent. They began to make their own way in the world, separating and discovering cities that suited their own dispositions and needs. At first none of them stayed in one place for long; each of them felt restless and lost without the active presence of Soul Society. They had grown accustomed to being told what to do, following orders without questions, and having all their decisions being made for them. It wasn't until they started forming genuine bonds with other humans that they began to feel a need to find home.

* * *

2. Nnoitra

It was 4:00 AM in Vancouver on balmy summer's night. Nnoitra's band had finished playing several hours ago. It had been their largest audience yet, and their manager was already declaring their tour a wild success. The members of Santa Teresa celebrated back at the hotel penthouse with girls, drugs, and plenty of booze. Sometimes their after-parties would last until dawn, and on a summer's night dawn came very quickly. Nnoitra knew that it would only be about an hour before he would start seeing the pink bands of sunrise come over the horizon. His fellow band members had already passed out. They drank too fast and did too much blow in their mad excitement over their musical success. Nnoitra knew that he would soon be joining them, either on the carpet in the main room, next to the toilet in the bathroom, on a disheveled bed with a naked groupie…when he woke up he would not be able to remember the night's celebrations.

Out on the penthouse's balcony Nnoitra could see almost all of downtown Vancouver. The city was dark and the lights were amber and yellow. They were fuzzy and the glow sometimes rotated when Nnoitra turned his head too quickly. He had a blanket wrapped around his thin pale body. Somehow he had lost his shirt and pants, though he couldn't quite remember why or where. Wearing only his boxers, the blanket was a poor defense against the cool breeze. Nnoitra was shivering, but he wasn't sure if it was because of the cooler temperatures and wind of the high altitude or because of whatever he had taken earlier that night. Their manager always managed to procure whatever drug the band members wanted.

_She said she would come…_

He shivered again, clutching the blanket even tighter. His ears were still ringing from the loud speakers and the cheering crowd. He remembered jumping into the mosh pit, being carried around by hundreds of hands, jumping back on stage, leaping onto a giant speaker that was nearly as tall as he was. He remembered the screaming crowd at the end of the concert, the cries for an encore. The noise used to fill his chest up and he'd get high off of the thrill of entertaining. He hadn't had that feeling in long time though, and that evening was no exception. Tonight he felt empty− like someone had carved out all of his insides and what remained was only a shell. No matter how many sold out shows they put on or how many records were made, nothing seemed to be enough. Nothing made him feel whole.

_Where is she? She said she would come…_Nnoitra thought again. Coherent thoughts were difficult to form, but he hung onto that one last hope− hope that Nel would come.

She always did.

His forehead was wet with sweat, though he didn't know if it was because it was summer or because he had just fucked some girl or if…

His teeth were beginning to chatter and his body was shivering with chills. His skin felt tingly, parts of him were numb. He was starting to feel lightheaded. He had thought coming out to the balcony would give him the fresh air he needed to remain awake…remain awake for Nel, but oxygen didn't seem to be enough. His vision was getting blurry, and where he could see previously see amber lights he now saw dark spots.

"Nel…" He murmured aloud unconsciously as he turned around, resigned to passing out for the night. He had waited for too long…well it seemed like it had been a long time. He wasn't sure what time it was when he had picked up the phone and called her. They exchanged very few words. They didn't need to say much anymore. This had become too routine.

Maybe she wasn't coming this time?

Maybe she had given up on him?

He stumbled back inside, almost tripping on his own feet.

The vomit came up suddenly; it spewed out of his mouth like a fountain, thin and yellow. He coughed reflexively, almost choking on what remained of the vomit in his mouth. His head felt funny. He continued to stumble toward what he remembered was his bedroom. His fuzzy eyesight could see that there was someone lying in the doorway to his bedroom. He tripped on whoever it was. He swore loudly as he began to fall toward the carpeted floor. He hoped Nel wasn't coming. He should have never called her anyways.

Those were the two last thoughts he had before he blacked out.

* * *

3. Nel & Nnoitra

When he opened his eyes, he saw her lying there facing him; her large hazel eyes stared at him, dark eyelashes batted when she blinked. For a brief moment, she looked startled that he had woken up.

His head was on a pillow.

He was still only in boxers.

His mouth was dry and his tongue tasted acrid.

His head throbbed like someone had struck his skull with a hatchet. His vision was still fuzzy, but he could see her.

She had come.

"Nel," he murmured, closing his eyes again. Keeping his eyes open was getting difficult.

"Nnoitra," Nel responded softly. She reached up and brushed a lock of his long black hair away from his sticky face.

"Stay with me…" He requested, his mind floating away toward darkness again.

"I can't," Nel whispered regretfully.

He opened his eyes when he heard her refusal.

"You're the one that I need." His voice sounded hoarse and lifeless, but his words were earnest.

"You promised that you were done with this…" she said sympathetically. He could feel the weight of her body balancing out the mattress and for some reason that made him feel good.

"I never promised that," he said, opening his eyes only a sliver so he could see a fuzzy vision of her beauty.

"I don't know you anymore," Nel said quietly. "The Nnoitra I knew would fight this. He wouldn't give in. He wouldn't let the drugs win."

He didn't respond to her. He didn't want to tell her that the Nnoitra she knew was dead. This body was a prison someone else had created, and his soul was slowly rotting away inside this corpse .

"I can't save you this time. You're going to have to save yourself," she said when he didn't reply.

"I've never asked you to save me. I've never wanted you to," he sputtered dispassionately. "I wish you would have let me die all those times you defeated me, but you could never do it.. why?"

"Do you think you would have been better off?" She asked, her voice sounding angry and hurt.

"We all would have been."

* * *

4. Starrk

Starrk had gotten a perfect score on his GMAT regardless of the fact that he had taken the test completely hungover and had been, admittedly, still a bit drunk. He was the kind of student who fell asleep in class, showed up late, or didn't show up at all (although Grimmjow held the record for the number of classes missed and somehow still managing to graduate). Starrk rarely ever spoke and always sat in back of class. Although he would inevitably elicit admiring glances and dreamy stares from his female classmates (and sometimes his male classmates as well) his inability to remember simple hygiene practices would quickly turn them off. Starrk spent most of his college years alone, moving from bar to bar, disappearing from crowd to crowd. He liked the busyness of bars, clubs, and casinos. He liked feeling like he was part of the crowd, somehow it made him feel more alive. And it was easy feeling like that in those kinds of places.

He wandered restlessly after he finished school, moving from city to city, looking, searching for a reason to stay. He always remained in the southwest though; for some reason the desert suited him. It was when he was at a dried up saloon outside of Carson City that he ran into Ned.

Ned was the only other guy in the saloon that day except for the overweight bartender− although, the fact that it was 2:00 in the afternoon might have explained the emptiness of the establishment. Both men ignored each other while they drank, but somewhere around the fifth drink Ned decided to strike up a conversation with the other strange man in the bar.

"What's your name, fella?" Ned said as he sat down next to Starrk. Ned was a young man of 25, but he had the soul of a 40 year old man. His dark uni-eyebrow reminded Starrk of a puppet he had once seen on a children's television show and his dark, almost black, eyes sparkled with mischief.

Starrk raised an eyebrow with surprise, but otherwise gave away no sign of interest.

"Starrk," he said as he took a sip of his beer. "Coyote Starrk."

"Coyote? Are you Shoshone?" Ned asked, perking up.

"What does that mean?" Starrk replied, raising both eyebrows now. He reached up and tipped the rim of his cowboy hat back so he could more clearly regard the man before him. Ned laughed, a great brawling laughter that filled up the entire bar.

"I guess that means you're not!" Ned said cheerfully as his laughter began to die down. Starrk scowled. There was very little a person could do to immediately annoy Starrk, but making him feel dumb was the fastest way to bring about a temper.

"What the hell does that mean?" Starrk growled as he narrowed his pale blue-grey eyes at the stranger.

"Haha, woah, hold on cowboy. I don't mean no disrespect. The Shoshone are the indigenous people of this land. I'm Shoshone and…well you remind me of someone who was Shoshone," Ned said as he leaned against the bar's ledge. "My name's Ned…" he began to say but was quickly cut off by the gruffy man next to him.

"Ned? What kind of an American Indian name is Ned?" Starrk asked, shifting in his seat and trying to swallow his pride in order to stay cool.

"Hah, well if you'd let me finish…name's Ned Blackhawk, of the Te-Moak tribe," Ned said. He held out his hand and waited for a handshake. Starrk narrowed his eyes with scrutiny for a heartbeat before his assessment of Ned told him it was okay to keep talking with the man.

"Ned Blackhawk," Starrk said as he reached over and shook hands with the man. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too. What're you doin' 'round here? You from anywhere nearby?" Ned asked as he took a swig of his beer.

"Just passing by…" Starrk said slowly as he stared straight ahead at the liquor bottles that lined the bar's back shelves. "I'm not really from anywhere," he muttered, more so to himself than Ned.

Ned looked thoughtful for a moment as he paused and processed Starrk's words.

"Yeah…I know what you mean. I ain't really from anywhere too," he said, suddenly sullen as he stared down at his almost empty beer. The response caught Starrk's attention, and as he watched Ned from the corner of his eye. he saw a glimpse of something that he had been suffering from too: loneliness.

"Let me buy you a drink…Ned Blackhawk," Starrk said slowly, trying to be friendly because he knew he needed someone to talk to just as much as Ned did.

And that was how Ned and Starrk had become best friends. Starrk was bored and Ned offered to show him around the neighboring lands in exchange for a ride home to his reservation. On the way there, he shared that he had just been fired because he had tried to save the life of an undocumented Mexican worker− although, he didn't seem too distressed about his unemployment. His eyes did darken and his tone grew angry when he described how unfair his employer had been to his workers. Starrk did not provide consolation but he did do what he did best: he listened. When they passed through a busier city that Starrk was unfamiliar with, Ned mentioned a piece of land that his employer owned that was for sale. His dark eyes sparkled as he spoke about what he'd do with the land if he had the money to buy it. Starrk listened to his new friend with raised eyebrows of interest and eventually asked Ned to show him the land.

"Man, if only I had the money…" Ned said wistfully. They both stood in front of a wired fence with a large "FOR SALE" sign attached to it and a phone number written in spray paint.

"I've got money," Starrk stated plainly. Ned's head snapped to stare at the burly man beside him.

"Woah. Really? How come you never told me, dude?" Ned asked, shaking his head with disbelief. "I shoulda known somethin' though you kept payin' every time we stopped to get gas."

"Let's do it," Starrk said, his hands on his hips as he stared into the endless horizon of the desert. His cowboy hat shaded his eyes from the setting sun and there was a feeling of resolution in his chest as he thought about the land.

"WHAT? For reals?" Ned cheered, his eyes wide and bulging with disbelief.

"Why not?" Starrk replied.

And that was how Los Lobos was born. Ned thought the name was a bit weird for a casino, but he rarely ever questioned the few decisions Starrk decided to make. Starrk left most of the decision making to Ned, while he provided the money, intelligence, and skill needed to run a business. Ned was surprised to not only hear that his friend had what seemed to be a limitless bank account, but that he also held an MBA degree from a respectable school. Ned would have never guessed this though, considering the clothes Starrk wore and the dusty Mustang he drove. 'Must be family money,' Ned had thought to himself. Starrk provided very little detail about his background, and Ned was respectful of that privacy. Once Ned saw a picture of a little blonde girl in Starrk's wallet and asked, "Is that your daughter?"

Starrk took forever to answer and Ned quickly began to feel awkward and embarrassed for prying into the strange man's life. It was when Ned had decided to change the subject that Starrk finally answered his question abruptly.

"No…my little sister…"

"Is she with your parents, man?" Ned asked curiously, impressed that Starrk was giving any information about his background.

"We didn't know our parents," Starrk said quickly with a deep sigh.

"Ohhhh…" Ned said with understanding. He had known many children who grew up without parents on the reservation− men and women who dropped their children off with the tribe while they disappeared into sin. "Where's she now?" Ned asked automatically.

"…She's dead…" Starrk said frowning as he turned away from Ned.

"Oh…I'm sorry, man…" Ned said, feeling guilty for bringing up the subject. Starrk didn't answer and didn't hear Ned's apology as he walked away, but he didn't need it either. He knew Ned did not intend to bring up such painful memories.

"You reminded me of my brother when I met you," Ned said suddenly. Starrk turned and raised an eyebrow. He nodded for Ned to continue. "My big brother…he died when I was little. When I first saw you in the saloon that day I thought your spirit felt similar to my brother's."

After that, Ned never asked again about Starrk's past even though he continued to want to know the story behind Starrk's little sister's death. He did get to meet two of Starrk's old friends who passed through town on their way to Las Vegas: a rockstar and a professional football player. Ned wondered what kind of life Starrk led before he had fallen into the desert of the southwest. There was an uneasy aura about all three men that seemed to unify them. Ned did not take quickly to liking Grimmjow or Nnoitra. Starrk's two friends were rude and they trashed the casino with their drunk and drugged up posse.

In the fifth year of co-owning Los Lobos, Ned got sick. Brain tumor. Malignant. Inoperable. Ned wanted to go home to the reservation. He wanted to die with his people. Starrk visited often, bringing news about the Casino and the growing city around it. He was there when Ned took his last breath. Ned's goodbye was short and simple. "Starrk, you're my brother," he said. "Take care of Los Lobos."

Ned's death did not affect Starrk immediately. It took several months for the loss to finally sink in. The nights at the casino's office doing paperwork were lonely without Ned's chatter. Starrk had indeed lost more than a business partner, he had lost his best friend. Starrk didn't like having to make decisions that Ned usually made. What color should the tiles in the new bathrooms be? Which band do you want to book for the summer season? How much advertising time on TV should we buy? It was all frustrating Starrk and soon he took to the bottle to soothe his lonely soul. Nnoitra and Grimmjow always drank in public; they needed a crowd to fully enjoy being drunk. Starrk preferred drinking alone in the penthouse on the top floor of his casino. With his wide windows, the city lights never died up there. He would stand for hours at his window staring at the city. It was odd being bombarded with signs of life below and yet still be so completely removed from it all.

In his opinion the drinking never got out of control. Businessmen who worked with him and investors who had put money into the expansion of the casino were worried though. They encouraged Starrk to find another partner: find a replacement for Ned. Starrk had no intention of doing so though; and despite his growing alcoholism, he still fought hard to keep Los Lobos open. He didn't want to dishonor his promise to Ned.

It was his investors who set up the party with the fashion magazine. They wanted to honor some famous designer and rented all of Los Lobos out for the party. It was a businessman's dream: celebrities, media, press. Starrk didn't feel any of the success. His body was numb.

The casino floor was dark with neon lights flashing intermittently. Loud techno music blared over the speakers. Voices of people cheered. Starrk made his way through the sweaty crowd toward the front elevator doors. He had met his hosting duties for the night with the help of several glasses of bourbon and now he wanted to head up to the quiet of his penthouse. His head felt heavy though and the last thing he remembered seeing was the red carpet as he passed out.

* * *

5. Starrk & Nel

She half-carried him from the elevator to his bedroom. His arm was around her bare shoulder. Her hair brushed and tickled his cheek. She wore something silk. It swished and swayed as they half stumbled across the carpet. She was stronger than he thought. She deposited him onto his bed and her labored breathing told him that she wasn't quite as strong as she had seemed. Slender fingers caressed his stubble covered rough cheek. He tried his best to open his heavy eyes and when he succeeded, he saw her: Nel. Beautiful. Vibrant. Elusive. She knelt beside the bed and watched him with her large hazel eyes. The tan and browns of her irises melted into green like shining crystals. Her eyes were hypnotizing.

"Rest now," she said. Her voice was warm and familiar. The bed underneath him did not come close to the comfort he found in her voice.

"Will you lie with me?" He murmured without thinking. He really couldn't think right now− at least not rationally. She didn't seem to be offended with his request though, pausing only a moment to think before answering.

"Not right now. I have to go back downstairs, but I'll come back," Nel promised. She brushed his tangled brown locks away from his eyes, admiring the bone structure of his face. She couldn't help but brush the backs of her knuckles against his cheekbones. "I'll get you some water and a trash bin. Hold on."

* * *

When he finally woke up, he had a splitting headache. He knew immediately what would cure it. As Starrk slowly sat up in bed he noticed the garbage bin at the side of his bed and the glass of water on the bedside table. The glass of water was left untouched, but the garbage bin was well used. At least he had had the mind to puke into the bin and not all over his expensive bed sheets− although they did carry a strange odor now…

"Oh! You're up," a soft feminine voice chirped from the corner of the room. The far left side of Starrk's bedroom was almost entirely glass windows. There was a low ledge that Nel half sat on, with one foot on the ledge in front of her and the other leg hanging off the side.

"How did _you _get here?" Starrk sputtered as he rubbed his forehead and swung his legs over to the side of the bed. His question came out harsher than he had meant. He was more surprised than annoyed. He kept a hand on the bed to balance himself. The room would still spin if he moved his head too suddenly.

Nel scowled at his rude greeting but batted eyelashes and ignored the question.

"Do you want some food? I could go get you something?" She offered as she hopped up and bounced over to him. She was still wearing silk...strapless...red...her dress was a strong contrast to her darkened green hair. She must have dyed it. It looked almost black. Her bangs still hung in her eyes like a child, and her makeup had worn off just enough to show a few of the freckles dotted across the bridge of her nose.

"Food?" Starrk murmured, his voice a low growl of confusion.

"Ah…do you want some more water?" Nel asked as she sat down by his side. She noticed his untouched glass of water and frowned.

Because it hurt to move his head, Starrk settled for watching her from the corner of his eyes. Her dress was quite revealing. His gaze lingered appreciatively on the curves of her chest for a moment. He could easily see the outline of her nipples in the cold room. He was not a monk and certainly had not been celibate these past few years. A casino owner was never short on women or entertainment. They all paled in comparison to Nel though.

"Do you want a change of clothes? Your shirt is a bit soiled," Nel commented as she reached over and fingered the collar of his shirt. He could smell her perfume: exotic jasmine. He needed to get away from her. He stood up suddenly, surprising Nel, and moved across the room as quickly as his half-hungover-half-drunk body could. Three large steps with his long legs brought him to the corner minibar. His wine decanter was being used for whiskey instead and he quickly poured himself a drink with shaking hands.

"What are you doing?" Nel asked, raising her voice. She followed him to the minibar and took the glass from his hand. Starrk gripped his drink with all his male strength and her efforts only caused the whiskey to splash and spill all over them both.

"I DON'T NEED YOU!" Starrk snapped, pulling the now empty glass away from Nel and slamming it onto the top of the bar. "If you want to play nursemaid, go find Nnoitra," he growled.

Nel blinked several times, wondering if she really heard what she had heard. She did not know Starrk to be so cruel. She hadn't seen him in several years, but she remembered him as a polite and honest man. There was nothing left of that man here. He was just as bad as Nnoitra and Grimmjow.

"Fine!" Nel spat angrily. "I'll leave you alone to drink yourself to death." She stomped across the room and opened the bedroom door. His back was to her, but she knew he was still listening. "You know…the only reason why I stayed was because you asked me to; I don't know what I was thinking. You're worse than Nnoitra and Grimmjow. I can't stand around and watch all of you destroy yourselves." Her last words were choked with unexpected pain and she was surprised to feel wet tears running down her cheek. She left the room before Starrk could see her cry, slamming the door behind her with fury.

He didn't have a drink though. He was stricken with guilt for some odd reason and memories of Lilynette and Ned flashed through his mind. He felt ashamed. Starrk stumbled across the room once more and threw himself onto the bed.

* * *

The next day he had chills. His clothes were soaked with his sweat. His limbs were numb and his teeth chattered as he curled into a fetal position.

Later, he somehow managed to crawl across his bedroom to his minibar. He gripped the ledge of the bar as he pulled himself up into a half standing position. He mindlessly reached out to grab the first container available but found nothing. His hand patted the wood of the bar, searching for the decanter or a glass, a vial, anything. There was nothing there. It had all been removed.

* * *

The next time he woke up, his clothes were changed. He wore plaid pajama pants and a stained white t-shirt. There was a fresh glass of water and two aspirins on the bedside table. He was parched and guzzled the water down without even thinking. Swallowing the water had made him lose his breath for some reason, but he managed to gulp the aspirins down without help. He laid his head back down on the pillow and fell back asleep. His last thought was to wonder why his sheets smelled like jasmine.

* * *

His room was pitch black when he opened his eyes. It took him a moment to adjust to the blue and yellow lights that came from the open windows. His room was shadowed with eerie shades of grey and amber. It was never truly night in this city: not with all the casino lights and traveling broadway shows. Something shifted in his bed. He was not alone.

"Nel?" Starrk whispered as he turned over to his side so he could face her. She slept on her side as well, facing him with large shining eyes. She looked like she hadn't been asleep at all. One of her hands was tucked underneath the pillow she was resting on and the other hand reached over and caressed his cheek.

"Hush…" She said gently. "I've forgiven you."

They stared at each other in the dark: strangers to each other after years apart. Yet somehow, their past together as Espada in Aizen's army intimately connected them. Her hazel eyes were dark and dusky in the evening light. Her pouty lips were curved into a slight smile as she gazed at him warmly. Starrk couldn't pull his eyes away from her; she held him captive with a power that he didn't know a woman could have. He reached up and felt his shirt. He was wearing a different shirt now, cotton and clean. His hair was fresh and dry. How had she…?

"Did you…?" He began, frowning slightly with confusion. She batted eyelashes as her lips curved into a brilliant full smile. He swallowed hard and found himself without a breath.

"Yes," she said, giggling softly.

His head ached, but his mind was clear for the first time in what seemed like forever. He had had glimpses of consciousness over the past few days, but now he was slowly remembering everything she had done for him. Sweetness. Selflessness. Patience. Her kindness was staggering and his heart flooded with gratitude. Starrk could not help but admire her resolve− he could only imagine what he had been like in the past few days. She hadn't given up on him. She believed in him.

"Thank you," he murmured, closing his eyes so he would not have to endure her beauty.

His words caught her off guard. Nnoitra never said thank you…perhaps Starrk was different after all?

"Sleep," she commanded calmly. "I was just resting but I can go now." Nel began to slowly sit up in bed and move away, but a hand reached out and grabbed her wrist. She blinked several times with surprise as she stared down at the large hand that was keeping her from leaving.

"Don't go," he said, his voice low and pleading. She tried to read his face, but in the dark it was too difficult. He had always been mysterious, distant, intriguing. She had never allowed herself to think about anyone but Nnoitra, but here in the dark of night she was quickly losing that promise.

"Starrk…"

He pulled her close, and she went to him helplessly. In the dark room, his pale blue eyes were liquid silver. She found herself much closer to him than she had ever been. She was lost in thought, analyzing everything this meant as he leaned in to kiss her.

The moment his lips met hers, all rational thought left her mind. She was overwhelmed with the softness and warmth of his lips and mesmerized by the way they moved over hers so confidently and convincingly. She felt the tips of his fingers grazing the smoothness of her bare arms, and she sighed, feeling heady and warm as she began to kiss him back. His hand came around her elbow, pulling her closer and encouraging her to wrap her arms around him. A strap of her dress fell off her shoulder and then the other strap fell too. She wasn't sure if they came undone on their own or if Starrk's skillful hands had done it. She couldn't pay attention to those minor details though. He emanated with a heat that was masculine and dominating. His muscles flexed underneath her hands as she pulled herself closer to him.

She was melting into his arms, her body moving sinuously against him, hips rocking back and forth against his groin, legs twisting and tangling with his. He deepened the kiss, finding her soft tongue and teasing her playfully. She tasted like honey, sweet and addicting, and she met his tongue with her own, stroking and sucking eagerly. He wanted to keep tasting her on his tongue; he didn't want this feeling to end. His hand came up, cupping her breast and rubbing the taunt nipple with the pad of his thumb. He heard her moan into his mouth, and it nearly broke him. He tugged at her dress, threatening to tear it off with a sharp pull. She didn't need words to understand what he was asking. Her lips curved into a mischievously smile as she reached back and unzipped the dress− he would have never figured out how to take off the dress if she didn't do it for him. It slipped off her body without further resistance, but Starrk was growing increasingly impatient. His roaming hands moved south, passing over the curve of her hips, across her flat belly, and down to the juncture of her legs. His fingers lingered there at the hem of her panties, uncertain, asking permission.

His breathing was labored. His eyes were liquid mercury, narrowed, piercing and intense with thought. She sighed aloud, feeling dreamy and lost. She was unsure of how she ended up here, but she didn't want to be anywhere else. She wondered why he had stopped though and looked up at him with questioning eyes.

His hand that had been splayed over her belly turned into an angry fist as he began to pull away from her.

"Starrk…?" Nel asked, knitting her brows together with concern. His absence was cold. His hand had been warm on her skin and now he was moving away.

"Are you…have you been with him?" Starrk asked in a low grumble. Nel was still confused.

"What do you mean? Who?" She asked, feeling forlorn that he had stopped. Starrk didn't answer, but after a few seconds Nel realized who he was speaking of.

"Nnoitra?" She said. "What does it matter?"

"Ugh!" A low growl of frustration rose from the back of his throat as he began to sit up in bed. It took his entire will to stop and not look or touch her.

"Starrk…" She began in a whisper. She wasn't sure what to say to him. She wanted him− she knew this now, but she was unsure of how to proceed. She had never been with anyone else before.

"I'm sorry. I cannot," he stated firmly, closing his eyes. "I will not dishonor him that way."

"Starrk…" Her voice was starting to sound as conflicted as his, as if she wasn't sure what she was really even saying. "You are not dishonoring him. I don't belong to Nnoitra."

He did not respond. She could see the outline of him: the curve of his back, the tousled mane of hair, the strong muscular arms…He moved across the sheets until he could extend his legs over the side of the bed.

She sat up as well, kneeling as she went to him. She wrapped her bare arms around him, resting her cheek against his shoulder blade. His skin was warm underneath her cheek. Her embrace was tight and reassuring. Her hands explored the planes of his chest and torso, rhythmic and soothing.

"I don't belong to anyone, Starrk, but I want to be with you," she whispered, raising her head so she could place an open-mouthed kiss on the side of his neck. He stiffened instantly, inhaling so quickly it made a sharp hissing sound. Pleased with his response, Nel continued her kisses up his neck, shifting on the bed so she could press her body against his back. Her breasts flattened against the hard muscled planes of his back and her mouth was wet and fast against his skin. When she started to nibble on his earlobe with teasing teeth, his control snapped.

He moved so swiftly she only got a glimpsed of the fierce and savage expression on his face before his mouth collided with hers and she found herself on her back, pressed into the mattress, his body fitted over hers. He kissed her hungrily, starved for love and affection. Her hands came up and held the sides of his face as she met his needs eagerly. Their breaths were rushed and their hearts pounded, threatening to leap out of their chests as they devoured one another. In the end, Nel found that she was just as starved for love and affection as Starrk had been.

In the tempered aftermath, their bodies lay entangled: her head on his chest, her fingers linked with his, her leg over his leg, his hand in her hair.

"Don't go," Starrk said once more. His voice rasped with emotion he could not place.

"I'm here, Starrk," she replied soothingly.

"No, I mean it. Don't go."

And she didn't; she stayed with him.

* * *

Nel read the newspaper every morning. Starrk wasn't sure why he found this odd; she was clearly an intelligent woman. He supposed he was only succumbing to the stereotypes of models: beautiful, dumb, and useless. She sat at his kitchen table every morning with a cup of coffee, a pair of red reading glasses perched on the tip of her nose, wearing only one of his dress shirts, (what was it about a woman wearing only a man's dress shirt that was so sexy?) and her long slender legs crossed with feet perched on an empty chair next to her (she always took up more room than she needed to). She was beautiful, but she was far from dumb or useless. At night she stayed up with him, sitting next to him and helping him figure out the casino's accounts. She was a wiz with math− something Ned had always been bad at. She painted her toenails while she watched the evening news. She hummed to herself as she laid out her outfit every night for the next day. Nel always planned her outfits, coordinating colors, fabrics, lengths and proportions; and she always had the right kind of shoes.

Starrk would come up from work in the afternoon and find her curled up on his couch with his laptop in her hands. She'd stare at him with large guilty eyes and say, "I bought too many shoes today."

Sometimes she made him dinner…if you could call it dinner. It was always some kind of odd combination that sounded gross to the ears, but tasted delicious. One night, she made bacon and wrapped it around bananas and fried them. It was the best thing Starrk had tasted in months. It was so good, he found himself favoring the memory of its taste instead of the memory of bourbon and whiskey. She would throw everything under the sun into a bowl and call it salad: a lot of her salads contained marshmallows. Starrk began to worry that his belly would grow large and that he'd end up bald and fat like many of his investors. When he shared this concern, Nel took him to the gym with her in the morning. He soon found that he could not keep up with her on the treadmill and that spin classes were death.

He sometimes wondered about her and Nnoitra. He knew they had a history, but he didn't dare bring it up again. She hadn't mentioned him in quite a while, and so he let himself become comfortable with the idea of her belonging only to him.

One night when she stood in his bedroom steaming a silk dress with a steamer (he had no idea such a thing existed), Starrk asked her to marry him. She was wearing only pink lacy underwear and was chatting away about something she had heard on the news when this happened. He was only sort of paying attention to what she was saying. Her back had been to him and he had been unconsciously staring at the curve of the small of her back and her almost impossibly perfectly-shaped butt when it dawned on him that he never _ever_ wanted her to leave. He was happy, here, with her. It wasn't just that she was kept his bed warm; she was his companion, his partner, his friend. She was someone he could give his life to. He hadn't felt this whole since…well he wasn't quite sure if he had ever felt this whole.

"Will you marry me, Nel?" He asked out of the blue. She froze in place and dropped the head of the steamer; it fell onto the soft carpet and hissed and sizzled as steam flew up into the air. She turned toward him, but only partway so he could see the curve of her cheek and the graceful column of her neck.

"What?" She asked softly as if she had not heard him.

"Marry me?" He asked again. She turned around completely so he could fully see her. Nel's eyes were filled with tears and her mouth was open with shock.

"Really?" She whispered, unbelievingly.

"Yes, really" he said. His pale blue eyes were fixed on her and he held his breath, waiting for an answer.

"Then…yes! Yes! Yes!" She said as she leapt toward him. She tackled him onto the bed, laughing joyfully and caught his lips in a deep kiss. His arms came around her, pulling her close and holding her tightly. Starrk was not Nnoitra. He was so different from Nnoitra. She found it ironic that she could love someone for so long and not realize sooner that she was not getting anything back in return. She did not realize how absent Nnoitra had been until she realized how fully present Starrk could be.

* * *

Nnoitra was calling again. He had seen their picture in the tabloids: Casino mogul marries supermodel. One of his band members had tossed him the wrinkled paper during one of their rehearsal breaks. Nnoitra guzzled a bottle of water as he read the article with narrowed eyes.

"Son of bitch," he murmured underneath his breath. He stared at the black and white photograph of Starrk in a light grey suit over a white dress shirt left unbuttoned at the top and Nel in a simple white lace sheath wedding dress with a squared neckline and long flowing train. Starrk had a goofy grin and Nel looked...Nel looked beautiful and happy. Something inside Nnoitra's chest ached. His heart pounded loudly twice, like someone knocking on his door. His stomach felt sick and tight and soon Nnoitra realized he wanted to throw up.

Anger would have been expected, but pride kept him from contacting them both. He took consolation in his music, booze, drugs, and groupies. He told himself he would forget Nel.

But he couldn't forget Nel. He knew he would never be able to.

And so he started calling her again.

At first she didn't pick up, and so he spoke to her machine instead. He'd leave one sentence, then two sentences, and then rambling five minute messages. Soon, he filled up her entire answering machine with messages.

She never called him back until he started leaving drunk messages: angry, hurt, bitter, jealous, self-pitying.

One day she did pick up the phone, but before he could get a single word in she started talking in a hushed and furious voice. "_YOU need to stop calling me, Nnoitra_!"

He asked if she would meet him one last time and Nel agreed because Nel was at the point of wanting to do anything to stop Nnoitra from interfering with her life.

* * *

They were both unhappy− he knew this, but he didn't know how to fix it. It had only been six months. Did all married couples fight this much? Did all married couples fall into such a quiet rage that manifested in long silences and resentful glares?

Nel said he didn't trust her, and he didn't. He couldn't bring himself to trust her when she answered Nnoitra's phone calls and got onto planes and flew to see him whenever he asked.

"That's what you don't understand, Nel. I will always need you. I will always have you. But you don't need me. It's not me that you want," Starrk said.

Nel didn't answer Starrk. She often did not have retorts when Starrk spoke with such dispassionate rage. She wondered to herself if any of the Espada were capable of happiness. Maybe happiness was only reserved for human souls.

* * *

Thank you all for waiting so long for this update. I know it was probably not what you expected. I had never meant to write an entire chapter of flashbacks, but I ended up with so many I couldn't include them in the next chapter. I have the next chapter about 80% finished. I hope to update this weekend! Thank you once again for all the reviews- they truly make my day :) comments and music for this chapter will be at my livejournal: mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com


	19. Chapter 19: The First Forgiveness

Hello! I told you the next update would be quick ;) I'm glad to hear so many of you enjoyed the flashback chapter. Yes, I know Nel/Starrk came out of nowhere, but they've always been my favorite crack pairing for the simple reason of them being such a damn good-looking couple! And Yes, more flashbacks to come that will explain Grimm's background as well. Just be patient :D! Enjoy this very long chapter!

* * *

**Chapter 19: The First Forgiveness**

Nel ate everything. She ate the Pad Thai, the spring rolls, the yellow chicken curry, the papaya salad, and the sticky coconut rice. None of Orihime and Ulquiorra's food was safe from the girl's appetite. As she scarfed down their dinner, she gave no indication as to why she had felt compelled to chase down Ulquiorra. The only information she gave them was that Grimmjow and Nnoitra were missing and that she had been worried about everyone for weeks. Other than that, Nel spent most of dinner chatting away about the mundane everyday things. She talked endlessly about LA, clothes, parties, modeling, and the small freelance design jobs she managed to get every now and then on the side. It amazed Orihime how easily the woman could keep the conversation going considering how little talking Orihime and Ulquiorra were actually doing and how much food she was shoving down her throat at the same time. Ulquiorra had gone and gotten a few more pieces of furniture earlier that day when Orihime had been over at Ichigo and Rukia's house. And now, both Ulquiorra and Orihime sat on the opposite side of the table from Nel in high-backed leather stools and watched helplessly as their dinner disappeared.

"So, I really wish I could quit modeling, but at this stage I won't be able to. I have to pay the rent somehow, you know? But at the same time, the modeling keeps me so busy that I have barely enough time to work on developing my portfolio a little bit more and trying to find more clients. I've tried dropping hints to some of the photographers and editors at magazines that I wouldn't mind doing a few jobs, even if they were for free, but no one takes me seriously. They just think I'm some big-haired weirdo who won't leave them alone. I mean, it's not like I stalk them into parking lots or anything, but I try to be persistent. They tell you that you have to be persistent in LA in order to be successful since everyone there's trying to become great at whatever it is they want to do. It can really be cutthroat sometimes. When other models find out that I'm not really serious about modeling, they get really annoyed with me because they think I'm taking their job. But honestly, that's the way things are, you know? It's competitive and it's not always fair, but you just deal with what you've got. I mean, I'm not pissed at the other graphic designers who get the fabulous jobs that I could only dream of getting. My agent gets annoyed with me when I talk about these things, but he did mention the other day that people may take me more seriously if I had some kind of college degree in design, but honestly, how would I do modeling and go to school full time? I think I'm going to have to just keep saving until I have enough to live off of while I'm in school…"

"Nel…" Ulquiorra interrupted in a cool and calm tone, sitting up in his chair and leaning over the dining room table with a bored expression on his face.

"You know, Ulqui, I've thought about moving out to New York. I could definitely keep modeling there and maybe people would take me more seriously as a designer there? The only thing I couldn't deal with would be the weather. It's so gloomy and gross there, and it gets cold in the winter. I mean, if this place is any indication, I don't think I'm cut out for cold weather…"

"Nel…" Ulquiorra said, raising his voice just slightly enough to show he was starting to get irritated.

"Do you think you could help me out, Ulqui− if I were to move to New York? Maybe you could let me know where the best places are to look for apartments or maybe you could even help me get into one of the design schools there? I would love to get into Parsons or NYU− "

"NEL!" Ulquiorra growled, slamming his hand down on the black opalesque table and startling Orihime. Nel barely batted an eyelash at Ulquiorra's outburst. Instead she reached over the table and grabbed one of the napkins.

"What?" Nel asked plainly as she delicately wiped sauce from her lips.

"_Why_ are you here?" Ulquiorra asked, lowering his voice into a dark and resonating tone.

"I just wanted to make sure you were still alive!" Nel snapped, her hazel eyes flashing with a hint of a fierce temper. "I wanted to make sure you hadn't drowned yourself in some ocean somewhere, which is a totally valid concern considering where you've decided to live," Nel added, waving a hand at the dark scenic view of the ocean behind them. The comment took both Ulquiorra and Orihime off guard for a moment, but only Orihime looked in the general direction Nel had waved. Through the tall glass windows they could see the indigo night with its twinkling stars and crisp gibbous moon. Orihime found herself knitting her brow as she stared out into the water, trying her best to push away memories of her disturbing dream. Ulquiorra's emerald gaze, however, did not leave Nel's face. He glowered at her with threatening impatience.

"Nnoitra overdosed on heroin at his Las Vegas show last month," Nel said quietly, staring down at remnants of Ulquiorra and Orihime's almost finished dinner. She hadn't meant to eat it at all, but food was how she distracted herself from despair. For some reason, the human body Urahara gave her had an unusually high metabolism, which only added to the problem.

"Is he okay?" Orihime asked frowning with concern.

"He's fine− "

"Of course he is," Ulquiorra said undisturbed, cutting off Nel. "Is this not his sixth overdose? That is nothing new."

"Grimmjow was hospitalized."

"What?" Orihime cried out with alarm. Her large grey eyes glared accusingly at Ulquiorra. "You knew about this?"

"No…I did not…" Ulquiorra said with discontent, taking his hands off the table and looking away from both women at the night sky through the glass panes of the window. It was easy to see that the news was starting to unnerved him. It seemed like a big enough deal that Orihime felt compelled to reach over and take his hand, but Ulquiorra's hand remained limp while a stony silence filled the dining room.

"He got into a fist fight in a bar. Supposedly the other man was much taller and stronger than Grimm, a former heavy weight boxer. But you know Grimm, he couldn't back down. The other guy beat him up really bad. He was out cold for a couple of days." Nel tried her best to read the emotions on Ulquiorra's face as she told her story, but he remained cool and nonreactive.

"It wasn't the first fight that has gotten this bad. He's had several fights lately ever since he got suspended…I think he's doing it on purpose," Nel said frowning, her hazel eyes darkened with worry.

"On purpose? Why would he do that?" Orihime asked. Her large silver eyes were fixed on the woman in front of her with captive interest.

"Apparently he got suspended for the season, and then there were rumors that he would actually be cut from the team. He's cost the team too much money in fines and bad publicity," Nel explained. "Nnoitra…haha…I mean he does stupid stuff all the time. The drug over doses, the physical assaults on his fans and crew, all of it…he does such _stupid stupid_ stuff…I always believed it was because he was just really careless. I never thought anything of it could have been done on purpose. I didn't even consider it until I heard about Grimmjow. I went to go see him at the hospital and he would just lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling. He wouldn't say a single word to me, no matter what I did or said… he just stared blankly at the wall with this look like he had given up on life."

"So…what happened then?" Orihime asked. It was hard listening to the news about the other Espada; this was yet another part of Ulquiorra's life that she had never heard about. He had never talked about the other Espada. Other than at the Christmas dinner, Orihime had never heard Ulquiorra say anything about Nel, Grimmjow, Nnoitra, Szayel, and Starrk.

"I left to go to work and I came back the next day, but he had already checked out of the hospital. Apparently he lied or something to the doctors and got them to write him off on the psych evaluations," Nel laughed dryly at the memory. "That man can squirm his way out of anything. If I could only tell you about all the speeding tickets and sexual assault charges he's managed to get out of…"

"So they're both fine, still living their petulant little lives. What does this have to do with me?" Ulquiorra cut in, once again showing his impatience.

"They've disappeared, Ulqui…" Nel said quietly, hurt flashing in her eyes at the tone he refused to give up. "First Nnoitra and then Grimmjow, no one knows where they went. Everyone is looking for them. The FBI have gotten involved, but no one has a clue where they've disappeared to…"

"So…?" Ulquiorra asked, raising an eyebrow. He refused to be dragged into this mess. Nelliel could beg and pout all she wanted, but she would not be able to make Ulquiorra care about them− not anymore.

"For god's sake, Ulqui! Szayel's death still hasn't sunk in yet, has it?" Nel snapped, truly annoyed now. "I think something happened to them, and I think it still matters that we look out for one another. We haven't all been together in years, you know…" Nel said, taking a deep breath. "We had all promised we'd keep in touch with each other."

"Wait− what? Szayel died?" Orihime asked, her head snapped in Ulquiorra's direction as she glared at him. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"You never asked," Ulquiorra said simply before returning his attention to Nel. "Something probably happened to them alright. They finally managed to destroy themselves, that's what happened," Ulquiorra continued, unperturbed by Nel's quickly growing temper.

"Starrk believes something has happened to him…" Nel added. The two former Espada held each other's cold stares, neither of them wanting to back down. "I asked him to come here tonight."

"How? How do you guys know for sure something's happened?" Orihime asked, alarmed and upset. She could feel a tight ball of panic building in her chest. How could it not matter to him that Szayel has died? "What happened to him? How…how did he…"

"He was found in his lab," Nel explained somberly. "The maintenance man found him on the floor in the early morning hours a few months ago. We don't know very much other than that. The information is extremely classified since Szayel was working on such secretive research for the lab. We're not sure what happened to his body. We couldn't even get that information from them. There's this big government cover up because apparently Szayel's lab was working on some kind of stem cell research that violated 'ethics' or something…" Nel's voice cracked, and she cleared her throat, wanting to hide her distress. Orihime could easily see how Nel was still mourning Szayel's death. She had the same look in her eyes that Uryuu had…it was a look that told the world of the sorrow they felt and the memories that they carried with them every single day. If it were somehow possible, Orihime swore she thought she saw Ulquiorra's face turn even colder than it was before. Any sign of emotion was completely eliminated and Orihime could tell that he had retreated to that dark place in his mind where no one could touch him.

"It sounds ridiculous…it's just a feeling I guess…intuition maybe. I thought I was just being paranoid, but then Starrk admitted he felt the same way too. And so we both decided to try to get a hold of you…just to know you're okay," Nel said, softening her tone in hopes that the mention of the former Primera Espada would get Ulquiorra's attention. She knew that Ulquiorra had developed a silent but strong sense of respect for Starrk, even if his pride would never allow him to admit it.

"Well, as you can see I am fine," Ulquiorra said as he started to stand up. His voice was calm, low, and resolute. "I'm afraid I can't be of anymore help to you."

"Wait!" Orihime said, grabbing Ulquiorra's arm. "What about Mayuri? She should know…" Her grey eyes held Ulquiorra's green eyes meaningfully. It was very possible this could all be connected to Mayuri, but Ulquiorra seemed to want to be in complete denial.

Nel's gaze snapped back and forth between the two lovers, recognizing the tension immediately. "What exactly should I know…?" Nel asked cautiously, trying to fight down the bubbling sense of dread she was already feeling.

"Nel…Mayuri's created another hōgyoku…" Orihime started to explain hesitantly. She waited a few seconds, hoping Ulquiorra would jump in and relay the information to his former comrade. Ulquiorra made no attempt to finish Orihime's story though; instead he looked up at the ceiling of his new home and thought to himself that it would be a long night without sleep now that his girlfriend had decided to open that can of worms.

When it seemed Ulquiorra would not regale Nel with news of the impending danger, Orihime suppressed a scowl and did the explaining herself. She quickly relayed the events that happened the night of Hisaki's birth, ending with Ichigo's decision to kidnap his own son before Soul Society could intervene. Nel listened to Orihime with narrowed eyes of concentration and disbelief. Her usual pink pouty lips were pressed into a thin line, showing her distress at the news. When Orihime finished telling her story, she could already see Nel's deep concentration as the former Espada processed the new information. There was an eerie silence in the dining room as Ulquiorra and Orihime waited for Nel's response. Nearly a minute passed before Orihime could no longer bear the silence.

"Do…do you think this might have anything to do with their disappearance?" Orihime asked hesitantly, her grey eyes fixed on the green haired girl.

"You damn well better believe it has something to do with their disappearance," Nel said frowning with determination. She clenched her jaw while she continued contemplating her choices. "I'm…I am not leaving until I figure out all of this out…" She said quietly, almost as if she were making a vow to herself.

* * *

"Aren't you in the slightest bit worried, Ulquiorra?" Orihime asked. She firmly held her boyfriend's hand as they walked down the wet downtown street. The morning was grey and misty after a dense fog had finally started to lift, and Ulquiorra appeared as gloomy as ever as he allowed himself to be dragged along. His dark head of hair, black coat, and the recent lack of sufficient sleep made his skin look even paler than usual.

"Why should I be worried about the predictable?" Ulquiorra said dully, his eyes fixed absently at the passing puddles.

"But…Nel came because she thought you might be in danger too…" Orihime fumbled with her words, lowering her eyes and pursing her lips. Ulquiorra raised his eyebrows with surprise at his girlfriend's insinuation.

"Are you…worried about me?" Ulquiorra asked curiously, titling his head to the side as he regarded her. He gave her hand a small squeeze as if to preemptively and wordlessly assure her.

"Aren't you worried about yourself?" Orihime countered automatically. "This could affect you too, you know."

"So?" Ulquiorra asked plainly. Orihime pulled her hand away from his as she stopped in her tracks. Shoving her hands into the pockets of her coat, she narrowed her piercing silver stare at him.

"So? _Seriously_?" Orihime said, raising her voice ever so slightly. She glared at him with a temper that was rarely ever seen. "There's possibly another hōgyoku out there in the hands of a mad scientist, Rukia and Ichigo's baby is in danger, everyone is fighting and mad at each other, and you're standing there telling me this doesn't matter?"

"Would you care if something happened to me?" Ulquiorra asked quietly, meeting her gaze with his unwavering emerald eyes. Even though she couldn't see it, he was holding his breath and hoping for an affirmative answer.

"Of course I would, Ulquiorra!" Orihime replied breathlessly as she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. She rested her head against his chest and took a few deep and long breaths to steady herself. "I just…" She began, biting her lower lip nervously.

"You just…what?" Ulquiorra encouraged gently as he folded her into a tight embrace.

"I just…I don't want to think about it. I don't want to think about anything happening to you," Orihime confessed. She closed her eyes tightly as if doing so would automatically put away the reality of the danger.

"Look at me," he said. His hand came up and lovingly pushed her chin upward towards him. She slowly opened her eyes and blinked several times before her vision focused on his bright green eyes. "Nothing is going to happen to me."

"You don't know that…" She responded as she looked away from him. She felt him stiffen in her arms and instantly regretted her pessimism. She knew how fragile and dark his outlook on life could be, and she knew that she could not afford to cause any damage to his confidence. "Sorry, I won't think about it," Orihime said quickly. Even though her voice quivered, she batted her eyelashes several times and forced a smile. "I know there's not enough evidence yet. I'll try to stay optimistic."

Ulquiorra did not respond though. He looked away from her at the horizon of tall city buildings and his eyes became a dark forest, distant and foreign. She could see that he was thinking hard about something. He was processing his thoughts but he was doing it without her input. She could almost feel him fading away from her and she felt an instant panic. She needed to bring him back to reality− back to _her_.

"You must be excited to see Starrk again, right?" Orihime asked brightly, hoping to distract him from his thoughts. "You guys were friends," she added, reaching down and taking his hand in hers again. He blinked and then looked down at her. Her large grey eyes were pleading for him to return and it made his heart ache to see her so upset.

"I barely know him," Ulquiorra replied lightly as he gripped her hand in his. "Come, let's go. They are probably waiting for us," he murmured. He moved his other hand into the pocket of his black coat and once again fixed his stare on the sidewalk in front of them as they began their journey once more to meet their friends.

"Why do you seem to dislike the other Espada so much? Is there some specific reason?" Orihime asked curiously. She couldn't help but be endlessly fascinated with the lives of the other Espada. They had been such a large part of her experience as a teenager and she wanted to know what their lives were like as adults. They turned a sharp corner as the sidewalk beneath them suddenly gave way to cobblestones. The restaurant they were meeting at was in a more historic part of town that the city council was working endlessly to preserve.

"I don't dislike− " Ulquiorra began, but before he could finish they both were silenced by the sight of Nel and Starrk.

It was Starrk who noticed Nel first. Starrk had just parked his dusty old Mustang and was getting out of the driver's seat when he saw Nel standing by the doorway of the restaurant. She had her back to him and seemed to be busy searching the opposite side of the street for her friends. Her hair was bright against the de-saturated khaki color of her trench coat. With her hands in the pockets of her coat and her face turned away, Nel appeared more subdued than usual. The liveliness of her expressions and the dulcet tones of her voice were not there to give life to her tall elegant frame. Starrk stood by his car watching Nel for several seconds. He looked tired and his expression was grim; his long tousled brown hair hung around the angled planes of his face like usual, but his normally trim goatee was gone. It seemed he hadn't shaved in a while. The stubble on his face threatened to turn into a full beard.

Even from several yards away Orihime could feel the tension between the two former Espada. Perhaps it was the look on Starrk's face or the way he angled his body, or even the tilt of his head that screamed to the world that he wanted more than anything to rush toward this woman but was restraining himself with all his might…

Time seemed to slow down when Nel finally turned around and saw Starrk. They both stood still, staring at each other as if they couldn't quite believe who they were seeing. It was Nel, of course, who started toward Starrk first. Her walk turned quickly into a full run, high heels clicking against the concrete sidewalk as she closed the space between them. When she got to him, Starrk embraced her without hesitation. She buried her face in his shoulder, and he rested his cheek on top of her head. She had always been short for a model, being only 5'9", and standing next to Starrk always made her feel small. It was when Nel finally looked up at him, her eyes glazed with a fresh coat of tears that Orihime pulled her stare away.

"Why are they…" Orihime began to ask.

"They were once married," Ulquiorra quickly explained, anticipating her question. Orihime's head snapped as she turned to stare at her boyfriend, stopping in her tracks.

"What? Really?" Orihime marveled. Ulquiorra raised an eyebrow, taking his turn at pulling her along toward their destination.

"Why is that such a surprise?" He asked, unperturbed by the emotional drama they had just witnessed.

"I don't know…I just never really thought of…"

"You never really thought any of us were capable of getting married?" Ulquiorra snapped unintentionally− his voice had an edge that indicated irritation and hurt. Orihime was shamed into silence. The topic of his proposal was still unresolved and it was constantly the elephant in the room. "Well perhaps you're right…maybe we aren't capable of having a normal marriage. They did get a divorce after all…" Ulquiorra muttered bitterly. Orihime pouted, unable to find a response.

They walked in silence until they finally got close enough to be noticed. Nel turned around from her embrace and waved hello to Orihime and Ulquiorra. Even though it was just another normal day, Nel managed to look like she was dressed up for a party. In her turquoise sheath dress, trench coat, and knee-high black boots she looked like a model among mortals. Starrk was dressed in a completely opposite manner. His casual t-shirt, worn-in jacket, jeans, and cowboy boots made him look like a vagabond lost in the city. Orihime waved back and began to wonder out loud why the good-looking couple had ever broken up.

"Why…?" Orihime began to ask Ulquiorra, but was unable to finish her question as Nel approached them.

"Hi! So good to see you guys again," Nel greeted with a smile as she gave both Orihime and Ulquiorra each an unsolicited hug. Starrk finally pulled his gaze away from his former wife and nodded at them both.

"Schiffer," Starrk acknowledged.

"Starrk," Ulquiorra replied. Nel's hazel eyes flitted back and forth between the two men's stern faces. Neither of the two men's expressions revealed much.

Starrk looked at Orihime and stared for awhile, clearly not recognizing or remembering her.

"…Miss," Starrk said lamely, substituting the formal greeting for her name.

"Starrk, you remember Orihime Inoue, right?" Nel asked, coming to his rescue.

Recognition flashed in Starrk's eyes as he nodded once more, "Yes, hello." His greeting was slow, low, and drawled. Although all of the other Espada spent most of their time traveling the world, Starrk had spent almost all of the past twelve years in the Southwest. During his time there, he cultivated an affinity for Mexican food and the desert, and somehow managed to pick up a slight southwestern accent.

"Okay then, done with introductions. Let's get some food. I'm starving!" Nel said, clapping her hands excitedly as she started toward the restaurant's entrance. They followed the green-haired girl without further comment.

Orihime's mind was racing was questions as she tried her best to discretely observe Starrk. There was so much she wanted to know about the other Espada. Why were Starrk and Nel divorced? When did they get married? How did they fall in love? How did they fall out of love? Orihime scrutinized every single twitch in Starrk's face, looking for proof of lingering love. He continued to watch his ex-wife with a stoic face and careful eyes. Just like Ulquiorra, he was an incredibly handsome man; and just like Ulquiorra, he had the same skill of hiding all of his thoughts and feelings.

From the corner of his eye, Starrk could see the questions stirring in Orihime's silver stare; and because he wanted her to stop watching him so closely with those large glassy eyes he asked her suddenly, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Orihime had to suppress a small gasp of surprise at his abrupt inquiry; she hadn't expected him to be so direct as to call her out on her rudeness. She fumbled for words, but Ulquiorra responded before she could give an explanation.

"She was wondering why you and Nel divorced," Ulquiorra said, demonstrating his lingering bitterness. She scowled at his pettiness as she started to defend herself.

"I was not…" she began indignantly before Starrk once again caught her off guard.

"The question should really be why we married in the first place," Starrk answered indifferently, managing to sound as if he were talking about some other couple. They reached the restaurant's entrance and Nel turned around sighing loudly.

"Starrk…" She said, but stopped her sentence when she realized she had no words for him. She never knew how to respond to him when he would become so caustic and resentful.

"I was lonely and she was foolish," Starrk stated simply, walking past his ex-wife and opening the front door. He held it open for everyone as they filed inside, keeping his steady cold stare fixed on Nel. A corner of his mouth was turned upward into a sort of smug smile, satisfied that he had put away the topic of his failed marriage for good with that last comment. Nel's hazel eyes flashed with hurt for a brief moment before she brushed aside his comment as she had done many times before and walked briskly past him into the restaurant.

They settled into their seats, each of them receiving a large leather-bound menu from the hostess who told them that their waitress would be with them shortly. As some of them took on the task of taking off their coats, others opened the menu and began perusing their food choices. Nel had been the one to suggest they all meet for brunch, and Orihime had insisted that they attend despite Ulquiorra's protests. She was excited and curious about meeting Starrk, especially since she had heard so little about the other Espada. Since it seemed he had little choice in going, Ulquiorra had suggested an Irish restaurant he had previously attended with the University's philosophy department. The interior was cozy with warm browns and gold detailing on the floral wallpaper. Green-shelled chandelier lights hung low from the ceiling over each table. Their table's mahogany wood shined with polish and the leather seats were warm and worn.

"I've never had a shepherd's pie before," Nel commented as her hazel eyes skimmed the menu items. Nobody replied as they each slowly started the process of choosing a meal. It seemed small talk would not come easy. When the waitress turned up with her notepad and an impatient face, they were still unprepared.

"What can I get you guys?" The waitress muttered.

"Uh…" Orihime began, frantically searching the menu for anything that would be acceptable. What exactly did Irish cuisine consist of?

"Could we have a few more minutes?" Nel requested as she realized she was not ready either.

"Do you at least know what you want to drink?" The waitress asked curtly. The four friends looked at each other with questioning eyes, each of them hoping another would start the ordering so the rest could have more time to decide.

"Coffee," Ulquiorra finally mustered.

"Me too," Orihime quickly chimed.

"Water," Starrk murmured without looking up from the menu.

"I'll have water as well…" Nel said, her gaze lingering on Starrk. The waitress scribbled down their orders and rushed off without another word. Nel stared at Starrk, her large hazel eyes unable to leave his scruffy handsome face. "Water huh?" She asked skeptically.

Orihime looked up from the menu at the sound of the sarcastic inquiry.

"Yes, is that so hard to believe?" Starrk replied, looking up and giving her a cold stare.

"I'm not sure…" Nel answered, sounding confused. She wasn't sure why she felt inclined to question his sobriety. It wasn't her role anymore. "Good for you," was all she could manage to say as she returned her attention to the menu.

It wasn't long before the waitress returned and the four friends gave their orders happily, hoping to dismiss the impatient waitress quickly. There was nothing pleasant about a surly hovering waitress. After she left though, they all found themselves awkward with silence− each of them at a lost for how to start casual conversation again. Orihime kept her eyes on the table, for some reason feeling intimidated by the two Espada before her. When the silence became too much for her, she reached over and took Ulquiorra's hand for comfort. He glanced at his girlfriend with surprise, but it did not take him long to figure out her discomfort. Clearing his throat, Ulquiorra forced himself to be the one to breach the silence.

"How is Los Lobos?" Ulquiorra asked in an uninterested tone. The disheveled older man raised his eyebrows at the unexpected inquiry.

"It's fine. I have a hotel now too," Starrk replied coolly.

"When did you buy a hotel?" Nel asked, sitting up in her seat with interest.

"I didn't buy it. I won it in a poker game," Starrk said, his velvety voice carrying smug undertones. Nel didn't bother to reply to him once she heard his explanation. Instead, she scowled and pulled her arms up so she could rest them on the table.

"What's Los Lobos?" Orihime asked curiously.

"His casino," Ulquiorra explained. The waitress returned with their four drinks, and Ulquiorra gratefully received his cup of coffee. Without thinking about the temperature, Ulquiorra quickly raised his cup and took his first sip. He was so thankful for something to do with his hands that he didn't even mind the horrid taste of the coffee.

"You are teaching here?" Starrk asked, taking his turn at making conversation. The awkwardness of the meeting was beginning to weigh heavy on everyone's mood; and as Starrk stared down at his clear glass, he wished that it was bourbon he was drinking and not water.

"Sort of," Ulquiorra murmured.

"Why _did_ you come here, Ulquiorra?" Nel asked, her usual soft canorous voice turning low and serious. She fixed her hazel gaze on Orihime. It was a meaningful stare that was both imposing and accusing at the same time.

"He's taken a Professor Emeritus position here at the University," Orihime explained proudly, forcing a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Ah," Starrk replied, his voice carrying tones of respectable disinterest. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably feeling far too hot in his dusky leather coat, worn in jeans, and muddied cowboy boots.

"You came _only_ for work, right?" Nel persisted, narrowing her eyes. She had turned her attention away from the redhead and was now staring down Ulquiorra. "No other reasons?"

"I came here for business," Ulquiorra affirmed, his eyes focused on the coffee cup in front of him. Propping her head up with her arm and resting her face in the palm of her hand, Nel watched the green-eyed boy speculatively. He seemed unable to meet her gaze and the lie became apparent to Nel.

"You didn't come here to…say…be with Orihime?" Nel asked boldly.

"I hardly knew she was here," Ulquiorra quickly replied defensively.

"How could you not know? _All_ of us know where Ichigo and his friends live," Nel pointed out.

"How was I supposed to know she was still here? People move you know, Nel." Ulquiorra gritted his teeth and called upon all his patience in order to remain calm and stoic.

"What does it matter if I'm here or not?" Orihime asked frowning. She was beginning to pick up subtexts of disapproval, but she could not decipher the true cause. Starrk's ice blue gaze watched the other three curiously for a while before deciding to go with his male instinct and rescue Ulquiorra from the interrogation.

"It's perfectly reasonable for the boy to move here for work and then discover that she still lives here," Starrk commented.

"I'd just be a little concerned if he came here _just_ to be with you," Nel said, sparing Orihime the briefest of glances.

"Butt out, Nel," Ulquiorra muttered, glaring at the woman with viridian eyes. "Mind your own business."

"I'm sorry if my concern for you is disturbing. I just wonder how much your little-bride-to-be really knows about you, that's all. I can't imagine your relationship must be easy, considering your past together," Nel said, tilting her head back and staring down her nose at the couple.

"What is she talking about, Ulquiorra?" Orihime asked sharply, her gaze now shifting to boyfriend.

"Does she know about Emily?" Nel said with an amused curve of her lips.

"Who's Emily?" Orihime asked, almost yelling by now and frowning furiously. Ulquiorra looked baffled, his eyes shifting back and forth between Nel and Orihime.

"A girlfriend he used to have. You should tell her how it ended, Ulqui. It's only fair that she knows," Nel pushed.

"Why don't we get to the reason why we're all here?" Starrk cut in clearing his throat. He had very little interest in Ulquiorra's love life, but he took pity on the poor dark-haired man's plight. He knew how annoying Nel could be when she was determined to make a point. "Nel told me that there's another hōgyoku, but do we know any more information than that?"

The question seemed directed at Orihime, and so she reluctantly turned her attention away from Ulquiorra and back to Starrk.

"No, no one knows any more information than that," Orihime admitted, feeling bad that she could not offer more. "Everyone's just waiting for something to happen…"

The four friends were quiet and contemplative. No one seemed to know what to say. Luckily, their thoughts were quickly distracted when their waitress returned with each of their meals. As they began to dig into their food, Starrk kept a wary eye on Nel.

"I have to say, I'm a little disappointed that I made the long journey into this frozen tundra only to find out that there was no real need for my presence," Starrk began flatly.

"Starrk…" Nel responded. She held a knife in one hand and her fork in the other as if she didn't know what to do with them since she was so preoccupied with the tension they were sharing. "You're here because I think it's important that we all be together right now. We need each other."

"_We_ need each other, or you need?" Starrk quickly corrected. Nel practically threw her silverware back down onto the mahogany table with frustration. The fork and knife landed loudly, causing a loud clanking noise that startled Orihime, Ulquiorra, and everyone else within earshot.

"Stop the sarcastic remarks, Starrk. It's childish," Nel said firmly, her voice growing haughty and disapproving. Her hazel eyes turned dark with impatience. "I know you care about what happens to all of us. I know it matters to you if one of us is hurt or is in danger. There's no need for you to be petty about all of this just because we didn't work out."

Ulquiorra and Orihime exchanged uneasy glances− both of them feeling uncomfortable with being present for this lovers' quarrel.

Starrk cleared his throat nervously as he averted his gaze back to his glass of water, embarrassed to be put in his place by Nel's admonishment. Ulquiorra's green gaze moved back and forth between Nel and Starrk for several seconds before he made an inaudible sigh and decided to come to the burly man's rescue− after all, Starrk had kindly saved him just a minute ago from Nel's interrogations.

"What are you suggesting, Nelliel? That we all hang out together like a happy family until Soul Society disposes of Mayrui and his hōgyoku?" Ulquiorra's deadpan manner of delivering the question depleted any kind of sarcasm that the sentence was meant to carry, yet Nel's pale eyes flashed with irritation. She was quickly being back into a corner without the support of her fellow former-Espada, and she was not happy.

"Yes! Starrk and I will stay here and we will stalk you, Ulqui, until we know that we are all safe. We've already lost Szayel, I'm not going to walk away and let something happen to− "

"Nnoitra?" Starrk cut in contemptuously.

The other three at the table stared at Starrk with confusion.

"That's who this is really all about isn't it?" Starrk continued. "You're not just worried about 'all of us' you're worried about Nnoitra because you don't know where he is…"

Nel held Starrk's cool gaze without a single drop of fear. Orihime grabbed her glass of water and guzzled so she would have something to do, anything to do, to distract her from this awkwardness. _No one should have to sit through this kind of torture_, she thought to herself.

"If that is what you think, Starrk…then I pity you," Nel began quietly. "I'm sorry to see that after all this time you've still not changed or moved on with your life. I'm asking you, once again, to set aside our personal differences. There are real threats right now. Szayel is dead. Grimmjow and Nnoitra are missing. And so help me god, if anything were to happen to you or poor Ulqui here, I don't…" Nel stopped, troubled for words on how to complete her thought. She didn't want to wander into that territory…that territory of 'what ifs' that ended with all her friends being dead and her being alone. She had worked hard to forge this human life into something meaningful. She was not ready to give it up− there was still too much she wanted to do, too much she hadn't seen or experienced.

Ulquiorra could see that slow growing distress in Nel's eyes as she processed her dark thoughts. He sighed inaudibly once more, feeling at a lost on how to deal with the situation. Emotional women were his kryptonite− he was left helpless and useless in their presence. Fortunately, Starrk was stoic enough to not drop to his knees in front of Nel just because of her trembling lips and doe-eyes.

"Fine. I will stay, but only until we get further information. And since it seems like I will not be getting any real information from you guys, I'll investigate the situation myself," Starrk said as he started to get up. "If you'll excuse me−"

"Wait, where are you going?" Orihime asked with alarm. Was brunch over already? As much as she hated having to withstand their fighting, she hated the idea of both of the brunch ending on such a sour and incomplete note.

"How exactly do you plan to 'investigate' this situation?" Ulquiorra asked curiously.

"Simple, I'll pay that orange-haired shinigami a visit," Starrk said, looking past Ulquiorra and Orihime toward the exit of the restaurant. "I'm going to go pay the bill. I'll see you guys later."

"Starrk…" Nel said exasperatedly. She stood up as well with the full of intention of not letting him leave.

"I'm in the same hotel as you Nel. Don't worry, I won't be far," Starrk said with a sudden uncharacteristic show of sympathy. He held his ex-wife's gaze for a heartbeat of a moment, and Nel swore she saw a flash of some kind of emotion.

"I'm going with you too!" Nel said firmly. Without further comment, Ulquiorra hastily got up as well.

"Where are you going?" Orihime asked, frustrated as she found herself to be the only one still sitting.

"I can't let Starrk pay for everyone's meal," Ulquiorra said lamely.

"It's okay. I make more money than you," Starrk commented casually with a shrug of a shoulder. He turned and marched toward the hostess at the front of the restaurant. Orihime watched as her boyfriend scowled and bristled with male pride.

"You can't say that for certain," Ulquiorra remarked as he stomped after Starrk.

"Ugh, men! There are so many more important issues than who the hell pays for lunch," Nel murmured as she rolled her eyes and grabbed her purse. Orihime sat for a moment by herself at the table. Her gaze lingered regretfully on her untouched meal and her belly grumbled with protest.

"I guess I'll just have to eat later," she muttered to herself as she gathered her belongings and started to follow her friends.

Outside of the restaurant after the two men had fought over the bill (they eventually agreed to each pay half), the two couples paused for a moment; they stood facing each other, Orihime with her arm looped around Ulquiorra's, and Starrk and Nel standing as close as possible without touching each other.

"So, we'll follow you guys to Ichigo's place?" Nel asked.

"Actually, we're going to go to Chad's bar− that's where we're supposed to meet today anyways," Orihime explained, offering a friendly smile. Starrk looked thoughtful a moment, and Orihime could tell he was trying to remember who Chad was. "Chad Yasutora…tall, tan, quiet guy?"

"Ah, yes− the guy with the arm…" Starrk said nodding.

"Haha, yes that's him," Orihime said laughing softly.

"Alright, we'll see you there," Starrk said simply as he turned and began to walk toward his car with Nel in tow.

"See you guys there!" Nel chimed as she followed her former husband.

"You could drive your own car, you know," Starrk pointed out below his breath. He certainly did not like spending more time with his ex-wife than necessary. Nel raised an eyebrow at him, but kept her hazel stare determined.

"I know. I want to be with you though," Nel said simply.

Nel and Starrk's journey to their car was much shorter than Orihime and Ulquiorra's, who had to park much further away since they had arrived later. As Nel stood and waited for Starrk to unlock the passenger side door, she watched Ulquiorra and Orihime walk away. The couple walked slowly, arm in arm, with Orihime leaning against Ulquiorra and resting her head on his shoulder. Nel heard the door unlocked and blindly got into the car, her gaze never leaving the other couple.

"Look at them," Nel said to Starrk. He fastened his seatbelt and looked up in direction that Nel had pointed. "Do you see the way he looks at her?" She asked quietly, almost as if she was only commenting to herself. Her voice resonated with concern, but Starrk chose to ignore that part of her question. His steel gaze narrowed for a moment as he watched the couple approach their own car. In the grey morning, the two couple stood out in their dark clothing. Ulquiorra turned and gave Orihime a gentle kiss on the cheek before he walked around to the driver side of his car. There was faint smile on Orihime's pale pink lips as she said something they could not hear to her boyfriend.

"Mmm…yes," Starrk murmured sadly, tearing his eyes away. "It's the same way I used to look at you," he said bitterly as he stuck his key into the ignition and started the engine.

* * *

When they arrived at Chad's bar, the meeting was well underway. Several tables had been pushed together to form a long makeshift conference table. Ichigo, Tatsuki, Chad, Uryuu, and Isshin all sat around the table and were in the middle of an intense discussion when Orihime, Ulquiorra, Starrk, and Nel walked into the bar. Their eyes froze as they each slowly began to recognize Starrk and Nel.

"If we did that we'd have to be careful to− " Uryuu said before stopping and staring at the new guests. His jaw remained open as he took in the formidable sight of the three former Espada.

"Hi guys…" Orihime greet awkwardly as she lingered at the foot of the stairs near the entrance. "I hope you don't mind me bringing a few friends…" The room remained dead quiet as none of the other humans in the room said a word and continued to stare. Chad looked thoughtful, Ichigo just looked surprise, Uryuu looked impress, and Tatsuki looked concerned. It was only Isshin who did not seem to be too overwhelmed.

"Welcome!" Isshin said cheerfully, being the first to break the silence. "Come on in, guys."

"Thanks," Nel said, blushing slightly as she met the older man's intense stare. The three new guests hesitantly approached the conference table. "We don't mean to intrude…really."

"Not at all, you are most welcomed. Any friend of Orihime's is a friend of ours," Chad said politely as he stood up, brushing his wavy dark brown bangs out of his eyes. "Can I can you guys anything to drink?"

Starrk skimmed what the other men were drinking (beer, beer, scotch, beer) before reluctantly requesting a glass of water. Ulquiorra ordered a scotch while Orihime and Nel declined any kind of drink. As the new guests settled into their seats at the conference table, Ichigo cleared his throat uncomfortably. Chad got up and disappeared behind the bar to get Starrk his glass of water.

"Hey guys…good to you see you…Nel and Starrk," he began slowly, fumbling with the beer bottle in his hand. "What brings you here?"

"Funny you should ask…it's quite a long story," Nel began as she took off her coat. The hazel-eyed beauty quickly told the humans news of Grimmjow and Nnoitra's disappearance along with the death and disappearance of Szayel's body. By the time she finished her story, all the listeners were frowning with consternation.

"There does indeed seem to be a great deal of unanswered questions here," Uryuu murmured to himself as he sipped his scotch. His dark blue eyes looked thoughtful as he said, "I wonder what else we don't know about…"

"We still don't know where Urahara and the Visored are," Tatsuki pointed out.

"That's true," Ichigo said with a frown. "I'm sorry guys, but we don't have any information for you other than what you already know. You're welcomed to stick around though and see what happens. We've got a lot going on though, so you should know everything before you decide if you want to stay and be a part of all this."

"Yes, this could endanger you guys after all," Chad added.

"We're aware of the dangers," Starrk said calmly. "There's nothing else we can do except wait and see what might happen."

Ichigo nodded.

"Well, you're welcomed to stay then. Uryuu, continue with what you were saying," Ichigo prompted.

"That's right− I was just saying that I found a warehouse where we could hide Hisaki. It's well protected and seems pretty secure. We still have to be careful though since Urahara never seemed to have trouble finding me when I was training there. I think with Inoue's shield, we should be as safe."

"Inoue, have you tried to see if you could form the same kind of barrier that Hachi made?" Ichigo asked as he turned to the redhead. Orihime blinked with surprise at the sudden attention. The shield had been the last thing on her mind.

"Uh…no, I haven't yet…" she said slowly.

"Doesn't matter, we can work that out later," Ichigo said quickly, dismissing her with a wave of a hand. "So here's the deal guys− tomorrow night, we're going to have a party at my house. We need a big distraction so that Rukia and Renji are occupied when we take Hisaki. We're going to tell Rukia that it's going to be a party to celebrate Hisaki's birth. Yuzu and Karin will take care of the party logistics."

"It's actually a great thing that the Espada have shown up," Uryuu said raising his eyebrows pleasantly. "It will be another distraction that will keep them from noticing Hisaki's absence immediately."

"How do you know Rukia's going to go for the idea? I mean…she's been exhausted lately with the baby and I feel like a party is the last thing she's going to want," Orihime said hesitantly.

"No one can say no to Yuzu," Ichigo said with another wave his hand. "I'll take Hisaki at some point and tell her that I'm going to go change his diaper or something like that. I'll leave then and go to the warehouse. As long as we keep Rukia busy, I think it will take some time before Rukia notices the baby is gone," he said without missing a beat.

"What do we do with Rukia…once she realizes the baby is gone?" Tatsuki asked uncomfortably. There was a tight and uneasy feeling in her chest that was making her extremely nervous about the whole idea. Perhaps it was her own maternal instincts coming out, but the thought of imposing such distress on her friend was troubling.

"Rukia and Renji will immediately think that Mayuri is the main threat. We'll play along and let them think that. They'll probably notify Soul Society immediately," Chad explained.

"That's where I need you guys the most. We have to all play it cool, pretend like you know nothing− don't crack under the pressure. We all know how intimidating Rukia can get when she's mad," Ichigo said.

"Mad? I don't think she's going to be mad. She's going to be out of her mind upset and panicked," Tatsuki snorted with disbelief. "I can't believe you're not thinking more about how this is going to affect her."

"Hey! This was your idea!" Ichigo protested.

"No. This was not my idea. This was all your idea," Tatsuki firmly pointed out.

"What are you getting at, Arisawa?" Uryuu asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'm trying to say that I don't feel comfortable with this plan. Ichigo, have you thought about how much this is going to hurt Rukia? It's going to tear her apart," Tatsuki said as she sat up in her chair and rested her elbows on the table.

"I _am_ thinking about Rukia," Ichigo replied, narrowing his eyes at the implicit accusation. "I am also thinking about my son and how to protect him. I'm her husband− I know what Rukia is going to be like once she finds out. This may upset Rukia in the short term, but it's going to protect my son in the long term."

"I don't like the idea either, Ichigo," Orihime said shaking her head. She automatically reached for Ulquiorra's hand, as if his touch would provide the psychological support that she needed to confront one of her oldest friends. "As a woman, I can only imagine the turmoil I'd be feeling if I found out my baby was missing."

Nel nodded furious, "I agree, Ichi. I think this is a bad idea."

"You just got here! You don't get a vote," Ichigo yelled, scowling.

"We will just have to comfort Rukia the best we can," Chad added calmly. "No one said this was going to be easy."

"Then what? What happens after you get Hisaki to the warehouse? You're just going to hide out there for as long as it takes?" Tatsuki asked with a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"You're damn right," Ichigo nodded with confidence.

"Have you thought about this at all, Ichi?" Nel asked as she too leaned on the table with her elbows and narrowed her hazel eyes at the boy. "I know you're the baby's father, but do you know how hard it is to take care of a baby?"

"Do you?" Ichigo snapped. "I've been caring for him as much as Rukia has."

"The baby will want his mother. You planning on breastfeeding Hisaki?" Tatsuki added. "Or were you just going steal an unlimited supply of breast milk before you left?"

"There is such a thing as baby formula, Tatsuki," Ichigo said through gritted teeth. "Are you all against this plan now? Do you have any better ideas?" All three women stared back at Ichigo fearlessly; their faces were grim and cynical. All of the men, on the other hand, averted their eyes: none of them wanting to speak against the three women.

"No, if this is what you want to do then we're with you, Ichigo," Orihime said softly. "But we're just asking you to think about the serious consequences this plan may have. What you're proposing to do may have effects on your relationship with Rukia that you will never be able to fix. I just hope you're aware of that."

"I'm aware of it," Ichigo said in a dark and low voice, his brown eyes staring steadily into Orihime's grey eyes. "I'm more aware of it than any of you even know, but it's the only choice we have. We're sticking to the plan."

* * *

The night air was cold; he must have left the balcony door open. Starrk opened his eyes to the blue light of evening, and without a sound or smell he knew immediately that Nel was near. The hotel bed sheets were crisp and cool against his skin as he sat up in bed and saw her sitting at the foot of his bed like a ghost. Her back was to him as she faced the open French doors that led out to the wide balcony of the hotel room. She wore a navy blue silk slip trimmed with white lace and her wild mane of wavy dark green hair was pulled up into a messy bun. Her shoulders were hunched over, defeated, and her breathing was shallow and silent.

"I couldn't sleep," she said faintly without turning around. He felt at a loss for words for a moment, unsure of how to comfort her. The distress was there in her voice in that stolen moment of vulnerability. "I was afraid…I was afraid that I'd wake up and find you gone…and I couldn't…I don't know, I couldn't bear the thought of seeing you again only to find that you'd left."

Starrk sighed aloud as he pulled the covers off him and got up off the bed. He slowly walked around the large king sized bed until he could sit down next to Nel. Without thinking, he wrapped an arm around her, his large warm hand rubbing up and down her goosebumped bare arm. She trembled slightly, turning and facing him with questioning eyes. In the dark, her shadowed face looked even more beautiful than any of the dreams he had had of her in the past few months. The moonlight that drifted through the open doors of the balcony made her eyes shine like jewels.

"I'm here," he said slowly, turning away from her to stare straight ahead at the open doors.

"I know," she said sadly, wiping a tear away. She pressed her lips together in an attempt to hold back a sob.

"Why are you crying?" He asked gently, confused. Frowning, he turned back to her as he watched a tear roll down her cheek.

"I don't know," she said shaking her head. Perhaps it was all the fear building inside of her? Fear for their future, her future. Perhaps it was seeing him again after all this time? Him…as devastatingly handsome and untouchable as ever…perhaps it was seeing him and finding that she felt the same as she did the day he left her? Perhaps it was feeling overwhelmed with these emotions in light of all the dangerous and more serious things happening? She felt like the world's biggest fool for being on the brink of completely breaking down and sobbing in front of him. She wanted so badly to appear strong and unaffected by all of this. Starrk rarely ever got to see her cry and she felt so embarrassed to have to let him see her being so weak.

Nel stood up suddenly and walked out toward the balcony. In the moonlight silhouette, her feminine curves were as alluring as ever. The wispy piece of silk she wore was hardly appropriate for the winter's cold. Starrk watched as she disappeared out to the balcony nonetheless, his eyes narrowed as he admired the seductive way her hips moved, the gleam of evening light on her flawless skin, and the way tendrils of her hair floated elegantly behind her as she walked out into the night. His heart ached with the knowledge that she had once been his and he had let her get away.

"Nel?" He asked as he finally stood up and followed her outside. He wore only his boxers, but he knew he was probably warmer than she was. He found her on the balcony facing the city lights, her fingers on the iron rails, gripping until her knuckles turned white. Snow was falling- soft, light, thick snowflakes fell like fairies all around her. The sky was darkened with the clouds, but the bright full moon peaked through a clear patch. Beyond the dark puffs of cotton candy, the moon hung hopefully against a brilliant midnight blue sky. They were on the very top floor of the hotel, and their building stood taller than all the other buildings around them. They could see the tops of the other buildings, some of them with skylights others with snow covered patio furniture and dead potted plants. It was like being in some kind of dark urban garden, where the moonlight and snow watered these tall lone buildings.

He approached her slowly and carefully, as if approaching a winter rabbit and afraid to scare it away. He heard her inhale quickly, her breath shivering with the cold. He went to her without will or conscious thought, attracted to her without understanding. When he finally stood behind her, he put his hands on her bare shoulders and slowly ran them down the length of her arms, warming up her skin. "It's going to be alright, Nel. I promise I'll stay until all of this is over."

Bitterness and resentment did not stand a chance in the peaceful beauty of this urban garden. There was only her and him, alone with their lingering love for one another.

"Things don't have to be this way," she whispered, her dry lips trembling. "We could still be together. We could still be happy…this isn't irreparable."

"Nel," he said slowly and regretfully, his voice low and soothing. He lowered his head so he could lean in and kiss the side of her cheek. One of his hands slipped down onto her waist, and she felt the pressure of his grip as he held onto her. She sighed and leaned back against him.

He felt her form, all the silk and curves he longed for; despite the freezing temperatures the places where their skin touched scorched him− her bare back and shoulders against his naked chest, her thighs against his thighs. He unconsciously hummed with approval as the curve of her butt fitted against his groin. His grip on her tightened reflexively.

She blinked several times at the sound of his voice, the wet tears on her eyelashes melting away. She leaned back, nuzzling her head against the juncture of his neck and shoulder. He felt so warm against her− she wanted to melt right into him. She felt one of his hands drift down her hip, rubbing the silk of her slip against her supple thighs. Desire rolled through her body at the familiar comfort of his touch. She felt him grow hard against the curve of her butt. She suddenly did not feel cold anymore as a heat seared through her body. She felt the tips of his calloused fingers at the bottom hem of her silk slip; they tentatively touched the smooth satin skin of her thigh, unsure for a moment if it was right to proceed. She leaned back against him a bit more firmly, sliding her butt against his erection.

He gave a loud and shaky exhale as she teased him. He tried to hold onto his control, but the movement against his groin was too much, and his hand moved against his will, slipping underneath her slip and gripping her thighs. "Nel…" he said, his voice husky with need. He wasn't sure if he was asking for her to stop or if he was asking permission to continue.

His fingers moved slowly and gently, the backs of his knuckles grazing the back of her thigh. His touch was light and feathery, torturous as he skimmed up the smooth firm skin of her ass. His other hand came up and fingers twisted a lock of her hair playfully before he dug his hands into the wild mess of her hair. When she continued to tease him by once again moving her butt up against his hard erection, he gripped her hair pulled hard. She gasped aloud at the sudden tug, her head being held back now and the white column of her neck exposed. He lowered his head and his hot wet mouth found the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. His teeth dug into the wet spot on her skin that he had just kissed, punishing her with a little bit more pressure than she was comfortable with. Her whimper at his bite pushed him over the edge; his fingers that lingered appreciatively at the curve of her butt slipped downward between her legs and found her wetness.

It would be so easy to…so easy, Starrk thought to himself as he played with her lips down there. Part of him was still holding on for control− he knew there'd be consequences if they continued, but with the way she was writhing his arms he was having a hard time convincing himself to stop. He wanted so badly to be with her. He wanted so badly to just slip inside of her and find comfort in her sweet wet heat.

"Starrk, please…don't stop," she begged, her cold hands reaching back for him as she tried to turn around. He stayed her with both his hands, one gripping her hip and the other teasing her slick folds. She wanted to turn around and see him. She wanted this to continue until they both were out of breath and panting with exhaustion. She didn't care if her body was on the verge of getting frostbite or that they were out on a balcony where anyone with a telescope could spot them. She felt movement as he slipped his penis out of his boxers. He lifted her short nightgown and pressed it against the curve of her butt, waiting another heartbeat before gently pushing her forward to get a better angle as he slipped inside of her. His penetration was slow, filling her up tightly until she couldn't take anymore of him. She had always loved his size, loved the way it stretched her almost to the point of pain. She took deep steady breaths as she felt him pull back slightly before ramming deep back into her with a vigor that forced a gasp from her mouth.

Without warning, his rhythm sped up, pounding into her again and again, sending a blinding painful pleasure through her entire body. She soon found herself bending over even further in order to give him the angle he needed to go even deeper. She moved back and forth, meeting his thrusts with eagerness as they raced toward climaxing. She could feel her toes growing numb with the cold, and she had long lost feeling in her fingers that desperately gripped the iron rails in front of her, but she didn't care. All she wanted was this searing pleasure that drove her mad with need. When he reached around her so he could rub her clitoris with her own wetness, she cried out, her body shaking as she met the height of her pleasure. He paused for a moment, letting her ride out the trembling power of her climax until all her limbs were limp. She heard him swear viciously underneath his breath as he began to move inside her again. His fingers dug deeply into her skin as he began pounding away at her, moving with a frenzy that shook all rational thought from her head until she felt him come inside her.

Afterward, he turned her around and folded her into his arms, both of them shaking− either from the power of the sex or the freezing cold that was starting to settle into their skin. The world was still for a moment with the exception of their fast breaths and the intermittent sounds of traffic beneath them. "Oh, Nel…" he murmured, his lips pressed against her sweet smelling hair. She buried her face in the warmth of his chest, teeth chattering now with the cold as she nuzzled her cheek against the crisp hair she found there. He leaned down and gently picked her up into his arms, tucking one arm underneath her knees and the other around her back. "Darling…" he whispered as he kissed her cheek. "I love you." He took them back inside into the hotel room.

* * *

Orihime lay naked on Ulquiorra's chest, her cheek against the pounding sound of his heart, her legs on either side of his hips. His steady breathing indicated that he had long fallen asleep after their lovemaking. She couldn't sleep though; thoughts ran through her head endlessly. Tomorrow would be a big day. Tomorrow her friends would depend on her. She chewed on her lips as she continued to listen to Ulquiorra's heartbeat. Nel's words echoed in the back of her head. Of course she wanted to know who the hell Emily was…of course she wanted to know why Nel thought it was bad for them to be together. She knew it was silly, but Nel's opinion mattered greatly to her. The tall elegant woman was clearly an important part of Ulquiorra's life. She and Starrk and all the other Espada were Ulquiorra's family; and Orihime desperately wanted Ulquiorra's family to accept her.

The past few days had been extremely anxiety inducing. Orihime was sure that she'd been more worried these past few days than ever before− even compared to her time in med school when she was constantly taking exams that would determine the fate of her career. Ulquiorra had been so quiet when they got home; it seemed he still had trouble sharing his feelings with her. He muttered something about having to catch up on work and spent most of the evening at his desk, working on some manuscript. She was left bored and fretful as she sat on his new couch, staring out at the angry sea. She spent most of her time worrying and day dreaming when she should have been trying to figure out how to make the strongest shield possible. She couldn't bring herself to do though. There was a will inside her that was missing. Toward the end of her career of using her powers, she had gotten advanced enough that she no longer even needed her hair pins to call upon her powers. She had had trouble that night trying to construct a shield around Ulquiorra's house though. Orihime knew that she would have to retrieve her hair pins from her jewelry box at home after all. But would they work even then? Would she be able to play her role and protect her friends? Despite her efforts to be optimistic, there was a nagging feeling of dread in her that told her that she would fail.

* * *

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	20. Chapter 20: The Game Plan

**A/N**: Hi! Welcome back, I hope you guys didn't forget about me :) Things have been absolutely crazy lately...prelims, finals, wedding, bridesmaidzillas...you name it I had to deal with it! Now I am back and I'm very happy to pick up where I left off last time. This chapter is extra long since I know you guys had to wait forever for it. Happy reading!

* * *

**Chapter 20: The Game Plan**

_Grimmjow liked New York City. He never got to spend much time there during the regular season, but occasionally his team would play the Giants or Jets and NYC was always just a hop and skip away from the stadiums. He liked how dirty New York was, gritty and unforgiving. The buildings screamed fortitude despite the test of time. It was a city that pounded insecurities and weaknesses out of you until you could look anyone coldly in the eyes and tell them to get the fuck out of the way. It took a lot to get a New Yorker's attention; people walked past homeless men urinating in public parks as if they were part of the statues that had always been there._

_In New York City, Grimmjow could be anybody he wanted to be. He could be a nobody or the number one wide receiver in the NFL. It all depended on what mood he was in. He could slip on an old leather jacket and walk through the village and no one would find him peculiar or out-of-place. No one would tell him that he didn't belong or that he was too different or too unusual. No one would say anything about his brilliant bright blue hair or his abnormally perfect skin. Grimmjow hated his flawless smooth skin. Urahara's gigais were always just a tad bit too perfect in certain places− it was a reason why Nel had no problem building a career as a professional model or while crowds were so easily mesmerized by Nnoitra on stage. It was also the reason that Grimmjow could easily be mistaken for a pretty boy, and he didn't want that at all. It was hard looking badass if you have alabaster skin. Grimmjow wanted to look tough, intimidating, menacing; and so he cultivated a cold gleam in his eyes and a constant scowling face that warned people that he was not someone to be messed with. _

_On the field people knew this; they knew his strength and speed and they knew he was not a player to fuck with. Grimmjow was a wide receiver who could take down the defense and still score a touchdown. He didn't need protection− he protected himself. When players came at him, Grimmjow knocked them aside like they were nothing but training dummies. Nothing could stand in his way when he had the ball in his hands. He loved the thrill of escaping tackles and taking hits head on. If you wanted to stop Grimmjow from scoring, you needed to be able to knock him unconscious. Men put their lives on the line when they tried to stop Grimmjow from scoring. Several players during the last season had been severely injured because of him. _

_It wasn't just what Grimmjow did to others that made him such an unstoppable athlete, it was also what he was willing to do to himself. He didn't care about getting injured and he wasn't afraid of playing when he was injured. Grimmjow never cared about the risks. When the coaches would tell him to stop taking those defensive hits and start trying to dodge them, Grimmjow would just growl and tell them to stop complaining. As long as he was scoring for them, they didn't have a right to say a damn thing. His coaches were unrelenting though; they would try to reason with him by telling him that his defensive maneuvers took too much time off the clock. They tried to tell him that there were other players on the team too, players whose very job was to protect him so he could score. What the coaches didn't get was that Grimmjow didn't like being a team player. He had always fought alone and he would always win alone. No one else was going to take his victories from him. He didn't want to share the limelight and he didn't want to credit someone else for helping him get a touchdown. _

_This attitude never lasted him very long though− Grimmjow bounced from team to team. His length of stay with any team varied based on the patience of the coaches and other players and Grimmjow's own self-control. It didn't matter to Grimmjow though; he didn't care if a team wanted to get rid of him after only one season. There was always some other coach or team waiting and wanting to him− he was that good. He was a pain in the ass but he was the best in league. _

_Despite his skills and abilities, Grimmjow's teams never reached the Superbowl. There was always some quarterback who was too green and not willing to take the risky shots that Grimmjow wanted or a weak defensive line that could not stop the other team from scoring. During those kinds of games, Grimmjow sat on the sidelines grinding his teeth with irritation and impatience at his fellow teammates' incompetence and limitations. There wasn't a team in the NFL that could take him all the way, and he wanted to go all the way so badly. He wanted to be the best and he wanted to knock down every team that stood in his way. His coaches kept telling him that he could not get to the Superbowl alone, but Grimmjow never listened. _

_Tonight Grimmjow listened though; he listened to the streets, the honks of cabs, the hollers of revelers. The city spoke to him in a way that no human could. It told him he needed to stay here and leave the football playing behind him. And so he left his team before the season was even over and came to New York. He didn't even leave a note. He just stopped showing up for practice and told no one where he was going. His coaches had been outraged, and the head coach told the press that he had kicked Grimmjow out for misconduct. Grimmjow didn't care though. Winning these stupid games wasn't enough. It didn't fill his staggering hunger for more power, more hits, more fights. Maybe he could try a different sport? Grimmjow had thought to himself…maybe boxing or hockey?_

_Grimmjow stopped at a street corner and watched as a few cars flew past him. Cabs sped past large gleaming Escalades and chugging Nissans. The night was sharp and cold and his skin felt primed for winter. He had walked all the way from Greenwich Village down to Wall Street. If he walked a couple of more blocks he'd get to Battery Park where he could see the Statue of Liberty across the water. He could get on the subway and head back to his hotel at Union Square− it was getting late after all. But part of Grimmjow just wanted to keep walking, wandering. There was an ache in his chest that he didn't understand. It made him frown and scowl even more as he stared at the traffic, hypnotized and confused by unnamed emotions. Something had brought him here and he could not figure out what it was. _

"_**It's not doing it for you anymore, is it?"**__ A voice came from behind him. _

_Grimmjow turned around and stared at his surroundings. Behind him was the stretch of sidewalk he had been walking on with alleys and cold grey buildings flanking his right side. He was alone. There was no one around. How could that be? There was always someone around in New York City. _

"_Who's there?" Grimmjow snapped. There seemed to not be a soul on the street, but his heart was pounding suddenly. He tensed and prepared to take down whoever had decided to mess with him. _

"_**I can help you Grimmjow,"**__ the voice snaked out. A shadowy figure stepped out from one of the dark alleys. _

_Grimmjow's eyes widened with shock and recognition when he saw who was now walking swiftly towards him._

* * *

It was a quiet morning: dawn, grey, misty, the sound of the surf crashing against the rocks. Even in the basement of his home he could hear the haunting ocean. He laid there feeling lifeless and numb. In the darkness of his bedroom without windows, he felt like he was in the belly of a whale in the middle of the sea. The romantic thought made him smirk unconsciously; he wasn't sure why the thought of being in the belly of a whale in the middle of the ocean seemed comforting when he had nightmares upon nightmares about drowning.

She was still fast asleep when Ulquiorra had woken up. The knowledge that his morning restlessness would keep her up encouraged Ulquiorra to linger in bed. But enough time had passed that he had started to fill fidgety. He got up and sat on the edge of his bed wearing only his boxers and realized that he was freezing. He would need to turn up the temperature; it was always prone to being cold in his house due to the skylights and large windows. Ulquiorra sighed quietly as he ran a hand through his long tangled dark hair. The day would need to begin, he thought as he forced himself to stand up and begin the morning task of getting dressed.

He glanced briefly at Orihime− she looked peaceful and distant in dreamland. The thought of waking her up to the horror of their reality seemed unusually cruel. A new hōgyoku, disappearing friends, kidnapping babies…life could not get more simple. Ulquiorra reached over and brushed a lock of her bangs from her face, his knuckles briefly caressing the curve of her cheek. His feelings for her were so intense it was almost suffocating sometimes− it was all encompassing and he frequently wondered what was keeping him from going completely mad. Whenever he was with her, he felt like he was always holding his breath. He had never felt so full of hope yet still so heavy with doubt. Things weren't simple between them− she had repeatedly pointed this out to him.

Ulquiorra turned around and started getting dressed, hoping that the normal morning routine would distract him from his troublesome thoughts. He was only halfway successful in getting dressed though, finding a pair of clean slacks and his discarded belt from the night before. His sock drawer was well stocked and so he had very little difficulty finding a pair of black and brown argyle socks to put on, but by the time he needed to find a shirt he realized he was making too much noise. Orihime was stirring in her sleep, humming softly to herself as she turned in bed. He didn't want to wake her, not yet.

Instead of finishing getting dressed, Ulquiorra went upstairs to the main living space of his house. The day met him with a flood lights in contrast to the darkness of his bedroom. Even though it was as grey as ever outside, the sky seemed abnormally bright today. It was as if the sun was trying desperately to peak out despite the density of the clouds.

He kept his eyes averted from the bright window, not wanting to look at the angry sea that was constantly threatening to swallow him alive. Instead, he turned his attention to the kitchen:making coffee, toast, and scrambled eggs. The morning was so quiet and the world seemed so still− Ulquiorra savored every moment of it, knowing that this might be the calm before the storm.

He let her sleep in, choosing instead to nurse his coffee over a good book. Ulquiorra had spent many mornings like this: alone, drinking coffee, lost in the thoughts of another author's work. Solitude was predictable and comforting; there were no risks associated with depending on oneself. Solitude had been all Ulquiorra had known for so long when he was a hollow, so much that when he was forced into the life of a human, the dependence upon others had almost been almost too much for his fragile state. He had never been quite sure of how the other Espada dealt with the problem; obviously, Nel never seemed to have any struggles when it came to socialization, but Ulquiorra knew on some instinctual level that it had been just as difficult for Grimmjow and Nnoitra to adjust to human interactions as well. Maybe Starrk even struggled. By the time Urahara had left them, none of them had felt truly prepared to venture out into the real world…but they had to anyways. They slowly learned what it meant to be a part of a crowd, a network, a community.

The morning passed without disturbance. When it was close to being 1:00 in the afternoon though, Ulquiorra began to fret about whether or not he needed to wake Orihime up. They were due to arrive at the Kuchiki-Kurosaki home in a few hours. But just as Ulquiorra was starting to get up off his extremely comfortable couch to go wake her, a frazzled-redhead emerged from the depths of his basement. He watched as her eyes quickly surveyed the main living space for him. When she spotted him on the couch behind a potted plant, she smiled and blushed with embarrassment.

"Good morning," she murmured as she approached him. She had thrown on some clothes, much to Ulquiorra's discontent. She was starting the day with a bright red sweater and jeans. She settled on the couch next to him, tucking her legs underneath herself as she gave Ulquiorra a slow and stunning smile.

"Good _afternoon_," he corrected in a low tone, humor dancing in his eyes. He reached over and took her hand in his, tugging her to come closer.

"I know it's late," she said blushing again and looking away from him at the living room's scenic view of the ocean. She knew it was rude to sleep late when you were a guest at someone else's house. "I wish you had gotten me up when you woke," she said remorsefully.

"You needed your sleep," he said simply, settling her into the crook of his arm as he tossed aside his book.

"I don't know why I feel so tired," she said shaking her head, keeping her eyes on the angry grey waves that splashed against rocks. She leaned into him, nuzzling her head against his shoulder for comfort. She had an amazing case of bed head, frizzy soft strands of auburn and gold sticking up and out in every direction.

"You spent most of your evening working on your shield. Of course you are fatigued," he reasoned as he rested his head on top of her fuzzy one.

She didn't respond, choosing instead to remain quiet and distant in thought. Ulquiorra waited patiently for her to say something, but when she did not, he reluctantly followed her gaze to the wide windows. He felt her shiver and immediately remembered that he too had been cold when he had first woken up. He was just starting to make a mental note to turn up the thermostat when she finally spoke.

"I had a hard time falling asleep," she said bitterly, as if she wished she had someone else to blame for her restlessness.

"You were tossing and turning all night," Ulquiorra agreed. Something was bothering her, but she was not making it easy for him to figure it out. His viridian green eyes watched her facial expressions carefully, looking for the slightest clue as to how he could help. The more pragmatic side of Ulquiorra often got frustrated with her for not being more vocal about her needs. All she had to do was tell him what she wanted him to do, and he would do it; it was as simple as that. But she did not do simple− she wanted simple, but she was complicated. Sometimes it seemed an impossible task for him to understand her.

After much thought, Ulquiorra came to a conclusion.

"You should eat," he suggested politely.

"Mmm….hmmm…" Her humming drifted off as if she had briefly considered his question but had chosen to move onto a different thought. He was beginning to feel awkward about his suggestion when she finally spoke again. "Yes, I think that would help."

The rest of the early afternoon was spent peacefully discussing the weather, the additional furnishings the house needed, and Ulquiorra's painfully depressing and overdue manuscript. Orihime asked the appropriate questions when she needed to, hoping her prompts would keep him from asking her questions she did not want to answer. She feigned as much interest in post-modern philosophy as she possibly could, but at some point Orihime found herself not even listening to his words. Instead, she began to have a mini-internal panic attack about the fact that she could not construct the necessary shield her friends had asked her to do for that day. Even after she had gone to bed, she couldn't sleep and had gotten up several times in the night and gone upstairs. In the empty living room, she tried again and again to construct a shield around Ulquiorra's house but failed miserably.

Ulquiorra could feel Orihime's mind drifting off, but she kept asking him questions and seemed diligent enough about paying attention to him. He had thought she would be full of questions about all the things Nel had said yesterday, but there was no hint of jealousy or anger.

"We must get ready to go," Ulquiorra said, glancing at his watch and clearing his throat. He found it odd that he had to be the one who was anxious about getting there on time. It was _her_ friends' party after all. Orihime batted her eyelashes several times, as if he had finally been able to bring her to reality by pointing out they had to leave.

"Yes…Yes, of course," she stammered as she began to get up. "It's time."

Ulquiorra was already halfway to the kitchen, bringing his empty coffee cup to his pristine stainless steel sink. Orihime wandered over to the staircase that led down into Ulquiorra's bedroom. "I just need to gather my stuff and freshen up," Orihime said absently as she began to go downstairs.

"Have you− " Ulquiorra suddenly asked, stopping Orihime in her tracks. He was just starting to leave the kitchen to walk towards her but had paused next to the kitchen table, resting a hand on the counter top as if he needed balance. When he noticed that he had garnered her full attention, he found himself clearing his throat out of discomfort. "Have you given any thought to my proposition?" He asked in the world's most polite tone.

Orihime blinked. It took a moment for her to piece together what he was asking about. When she realized he was asking about the marriage proposal, she had to hold back a frown and averted her gaze. "No…I'm sorry," she murmured.

Ulquiorra stared at her with piercing bright green eyes, the muscles in his forehead tense with misunderstanding. He didn't know how to respond to her.

"I can't talk about this today, I'm just…too tired," she said as she started downstairs before Ulquiorra could say a word. "I'm sorry," she added as an afterthought.

* * *

Tatsuki was having a bad day and it still only morning. She had woken up in bed with a splitting headache and could not, for the life of her, figure out why she was feeling so ill…at least until she walked into her living room and found the empty bottle of tequila on her coffee table. Just looking at the empty bottle had made her feel nauseous, and so she had run straight into the bathroom and slammed the door behind her.

Now, after a few bouts of vomit, Tatsuki was exhausted as she sat on the floor of her bathroom next to the toilet. She had her back straight up against the wall− it seemed she needed the wall's strength to keep her head and shoulders up.

Tatsuki swallowed hard, stifling a moan as she felt another wave of nausea come over her. She prepared herself to throw up again, leaning over so she could throw up into the toilet. After a few seconds though, the feeling slowly subsided on its own. She breathed a sigh of relief. Finally now, she might actually be able to find the strength to make it to her kitchen and look for some kind of hang over remedy.

It was one of those things Renji was good at…finding some kind of random remedy from a collection of regular household products to fend off a sore hangover. But Renji was not here.

She couldn't remember the last night they slept together. She couldn't remember what had happened that night or the morning after. The events of the past few days had stolen that from her. Her mind had been washed with anxiety and concern for Ichigo and Rukia. Her days had been spent waiting on the couple, hand and foot, doing everything she could to ease their troubles. But at the end of the night, when it was time to go to her home, Tatsuki always found herself longing for Renji's company. And when she went to bed, she fell asleep with the tacit memories of what it felt like to be held in his arms.

Thinking about him these days made her heart ache, but on this particular morning all it did was make her head spin.

Somewhere in a distance she heard her cell phone ringing and Tatsuki groaned out loud, knowing that the phone call was probably from Yuzu or Ichigo or Uryuu or Chad…one of those "planners" (Tatsuki had never been much of an event planner in her life). Even though the phone was far away, muffled by distance and doors, the sound itself was too loud for Tatsuki's sensitive state. Her body washed over with dread because she knew that the sound of the phone ringing signaled the official start of the day…and Tatsuki did not want to face the day yet.

Her toes curled into the soft yellow bathroom mat she was sitting on as she ran a hand through her messy crop of dark hair. She would have to go to the party today and pretend and smile like nothing was wrong. She had to play the part they had written for her so that Ichigo could get his son to safety. She had to deceive one of her close friends and possibly risk destroying her relationship with Renji forever.

She missed Renji. She missed his companionship, his jokes, his ridiculous competitiveness, his no-bullshit way of looking at the world. She missed his huge proud grin, how strong his grip felt whenever he held her hand, and how attentive he always was…even when Tatsuki was too busy to notice or too crabby to care.

Most of all…she missed talking with him. They would talk about sports, about Ichigo and Rukia and how domesticated they had become, about different kinds of micro-brews and which ones were best during what season…they argued a lot…but that was because they allowed themselves to talk about everything and anything. Neither of them held back when it came to their opinions and that was the reason why she and Renji always seemed to be butting heads. While Ichigo had always been brooding, Renji had always been boisterous…sometimes even to an obnoxious degree, but that somehow grew to become part of his charm.

She really hadn't realized how close they had become over the years, but ever since Ichigo and Rukia had gotten married both she and Renji had been demoted to backseat friends. It certainly didn't help when Orihime and Uryuu had finally paired off as well, leaving Tatsuki without someone to go to the movies or get a drink with. Although Tatsuki had felt hurt and alone when it started, eventually she learned to accept that everyone had different roles now that they all were adults; and soon she started to talk to Renji more at family gatherings and slowly they had built a friendship that she cherished more than she could ever bring herself to admit.

She had never really sat down, by herself, in complete silence and really thought about him, but in the quiet sanctuary of her bathroom and the dizzy haze of a hangover she finally allowed herself to feel everything. She missed him, really _really_ missed him. She anticipated that there would be awkwardness between them at Ichigo's party since there had been awkwardness ever since each of them had declared their loyalties. Despite this knowledge though, she knew she'd still be glad to just seem him.

* * *

Nel was not having a good morning. She had woken up in Starrk's bed and found herself alone. He was nowhere to be seen. The only sign that he had been there recently was the warmth on his side of the bed. She ran her fingers across the smooth cotton sheets and thought longingly about her night with him. The sex had been exquisite and she had fallen asleep so happy in his arms. She had slept soundly with the knowledge that he was near. But now it was morning and he was nowhere to be seen.

She jumped at the sudden click of a loud sound.

The squeaky door opened as Starrk walked in. He wore a brown and tan plaid shirt tucked neatly into a pair of faded jeans. His leather boots tapped against the marbled floor of the penthouse room.

"Hi," Nel said, staring at him with wide surprised eyes. Her stomach was in knots. She clutched the sheets to her naked body like this was their first morning-after experience.

"Morning," he replied simply. Starrk shot her a brief glance but did not linger on her. Instead he walked briskly over to the large desk and sat down on the accompanying chair. He opened his thin silver laptop and started tapping away at the keys. His large brawny frame seemed to take over the delicate chair he was sitting in, and his fingers were far too big for the little keys he was tapping on, but Starrk always looked out of place in front of a computer. He looked like the kind of man who belonged in the desert with shotgun and faithful loyal dog, but he was a modern man who ran successful businesses and so computers were a necessary evil.

They were silent for several seconds except for the sound of his tapping keys. She stared at his back, the thin fabric of his worn in shirt stretched across his broad back.

"Have you been up for long?" She finally asked.

"Couple of hours," he said. He did not even bother to turn around and look at her when he spoke. _Okay_…she thought to herself, uncertain, as she quietly got out of bed. Her bare feet padded across the cold marble until she found her slip she had been wearing last night. As she pulled it back on, she turned to him.

"Do you want to get something to eat?" She asked gently, wrapping her arms around herself and shivering in the cold room.

"I've already had breakfast," he replied, once again not turning around. There was more typing and clicking that came from his laptop.

"Well, do you want to come with me to get something to eat anyways? Maybe just get coffee? I thought we could talk…" she said. Nel tapped her foot against the marble floor, waiting nervously for his response.

"Starrk?" She prompted when he still failed to response. He finally turned around and looked at her with tired eyes.

"I've really got to get some of these numbers out to my investors this morning before we have to go to that party," he explained plainly.

"I could help?" She offered. Nel used to be as familiar with Starrk's accounts as he was, but that was before their divorce and before the endless miles of distance between them.

"I'll be fine, thank you. It's a one person job," he replied politely as if he were talking to his secretary.

"Starrk…"

"Yes?" He asked, his low voice just the slightest bit stern and impatient.

"I'm sorry, I just thought…last night…"

"Last night was a mistake," he cut her off swiftly. "I will take the entire fault for it. I'm sorry, it won't happen again," he stated firmly.

Nel felt everything crumble inside her. It was daylight now though, so she would not let him see her cry. She silently walked over to the bathroom. With every step that she took, it felt like the marble floor beneath of her feet grew colder and colder. When she got to the bathroom, she opened the small linen closet and pulled out a fluffy robe and slipped it on over her goosebumped body.

"Alright, well, I'll go get dressed. Let me know when you're ready to go to the party," she said softly, her tight voice barely above a whisper. Tying the robe closed, she made her way toward the door, her toes growing as cold as the marbled floor itself.

"I will."

"Okay…bye," she said, lingering by the exit. When he did not respond, she left and gently closed the door behind her.

* * *

There were way more people at the party than Tatsuki had anticipated. She had thought, from Ichigo's descriptions, that it would only be family members and close friends attending, but the Kurosaki-Kuchiki house was filled with chattering strangers and very few familiar faces. There was a lady with short sandy blonde hair who was chatting away with Uryuu. She had a clear plastic cup filled with spiked punch in one hand, and her other hand nervously played with the hem of her dress shirt. A dark brown braided belt cinched her dress together at her waist, creating the illusion of subtle curves for her rather slim figure. A wide smile was perched upon her lips as she stared up at Uryuu with large blue eyes.

"Who's that?" Tatsuki asked as she walked up to her best friend, elbowing Orihime for attention.

"Huh?" Orihime chirped, looking up from the plate of cookies before her.

"That woman talking to Uryuu, who is she? She looks familiar…" Tatsuki said slowly as she maintained her watchful gaze.

"Oh? Her? I don't know her name, but I think she's a co-worker of Rukia's," Orihime said thoughtfully as she shoved a bite-sized chocolate chip cookie in her mouth. "I think Rukia's trying to set him up with her," Orihime added, half talking and half chewing as she also watched them.

"Oh god, will Rukia ever stop?" Tatsuki said, shaking her head and taking a sip of her beer.

"Haha, I don't think she's going to be satisfied until every single one of us is married and pregnant," Orihime joked casually. She had drunk some of the spiked punch without knowing and it was making her a bit giddy. The nervousness she had been feeling about the party was slowly dissipating.

"Well she better not hold her breath, I think it will take quite a lot to get Uryuu pregnant," Tatsuki joked. The two women watched Uryuu and the blonde woman talking for a few more seconds. Uryuu's back was to them so they couldn't read his lips or see his facial expressions, but it was more than clear that the little blonde school teacher was smitten.

"You seem to be pretty relaxed…" Tatsuki commented as she shifted her gaze away from the chatting couple and over to her friend. "How are you feeling? Are you ready?"

"SHHH!" Orihime hissed as she turned away from the room and faced the wall and table of snacks. "Don't say that so loudly! Rukia might hear you…"

"Orihime…she's all the way across the room," Tatsuki pointed out.

"She could still be listening!" Orihime pointed out. "Besides, I don't want to talk about it…" Orihime said as she fumbled with the tray of cookies before her. Tatsuki stared at her friend and blinked for a second before she recognized the hesitation in Orihime's face.

"…What do you mean you don't want to talk about it?" Tatsuki said slowly, lowering her voice so others nearby could not hear.

"Shhh! I said I don't want to talk about…" Orihime repeated as she shoved another cookie in her mouth. Her soft grey eyes were as large as saucers as she stared helplessly at Tatsuki, apparently unable to stop herself from eating as a distraction.

"Orihime…what is wrong?" Tatsuki asked in her most commanding and firm voice. Orihime averted her gaze, unable to look at her friend as she confessed.

"I haven't been able to make the shield," Orihime said quietly beneath her breath. "In fact…I haven't been able to call on my powers at all…"

Without warning, Tatsuki stormed several feet away to where Uryuu stood with the school teacher, grabbed his wrist, and made quickly apologies as she dragged him back to where Orihime stood.

"What the− !" Uryuu protested with a scowl as he was shoved in front of Orihime.

"We have a problem," Tatsuki stated severely, her brown eyes staring at Orihime. "Tell him."

Orihime swallowed the last bite of her cookie and gave Uryuu her best 'I'm sorry' face. Uryuu blinked several times, staring at the two women with shock for a moment before sighing loudly and taking charge of the situation.

"Let's go over here," Uryuu said, ushering the two women toward the darkened hallway that led toward the bedrooms. "Orihime…explain," Uryuu said gently as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"I…I haven't been able to call on any of my powers," Orihime confessed, crossing her arms in front of her chest defensively. Uryuu's knit his eyebrows with concern as he watched his friend.

"Not at all…?" He asked.

"No…" Orihime whispered, her grey eyes filled with guilt. They were all quiet for a brief second before Tatsuki had to ask the obvious question.

"What the hell are we going to do?" She said, her large brown eyes inquiring with urgency.

"I'm sorry, Orihime, that we assumed that you would just take care of this. It wasn't fair to put all this pressure on you. I guess…I guess we just thought it wouldn't be a problem since your healing powers came back to you so naturally recently," Uryuu said slowly with sympathy.

"No, I'm the one who should be sorry. I should have told you all sooner," Orihime said as she leaned against the wall of the hallway feeling defeated.

"SO…what are we going to do? Should we go tell Ichigo?" Tatsuki asked, a ball of tension building in her stomach.

"No, we don't tell him," Uryuu said immediately.

"What?" Orihime and Tatsuki exclaimed at the exact same time.

"Telling him right now would just send him into a nervous panic. We'll take our chances and continue as planned. With the Quincy barrier, it will take Rukia and Renji quite a while to find us…that should buy us some time. I think they're smart enough to eventually find us, but we'll have to figure something out once we get to the warehouse."

"They'll definitely find us once they enlist Soul Society to help search for Hisaki," Tatsuki said as she nervously chewed on her bottom lip.

"Give the Quincys some credit, Arisawa," Uryuu said firmly as he turned his dark blue gaze on her. "We've kept secrets from Soul Society for centuries. We have defensive measures that Soul Society could never dream of."

"Okay, okay…" Orihime said shakily as she drew in a deep breath. "Nothing changes…"

"Nothing changes," Uryuu confirmed. "We stick to the game plan."

* * *

Orihime shuffled over to one of the drink stations that had been set up on the counter of the kitchen breakfast bar. Someone had broken out the Kuchiki-Kurosaki stash of liquor and now crystal decanters of whiskey, bourbon, scotch, vodka and tequila all sat out, each of them half or almost empty. After the discussion she had with Uryuu and Tatsuki, Orihime needed a drink. As she approached the table, she spotted a sullen looking Starrk leaning against the counter, his back to the stash of alcohol and his steel gaze lost and distant.

"Hi," Orihime greeted warmly. She would've normally been incredibly nervous about talking to him, but the spiked punch had made her extra friendly.

"Mm," Starrk grunted in greeting. "Good day, Ms. Inoue."

"Are you enjoying the party?" Orihime asked as she placed her almost empty plastic cup of fruit punch on the counter.

"As much as I can," Starrk answered honestly.

Orihime was quiet without words for conversation as she reached for an opened bottle of wine and pulled an empty wine glass from the glass cupboard. Starrk seemed quite comfortable with the silence, but Orihime always felt a need to fill space with noise. Since she and Starrk were pretty much the only two in the kitchen at the moment, she needed to say something.

"Nel looks beautiful today," Orihime blurted without thinking as she walked around the breakfast bar and leaned against the counter next to Starrk. Both of their gazes went across the room, through the open kitchen door. In the far corner of the living room, Nel stood chatting away with Ichigo. She wore a pink sheath, its simplicity highlighting all the curves and contours of her elegant frame.

"She always does," Starrk murmured with a rueful smile. His tone held the slightest hint of bitterness, and Orihime was quickly reminded of the state of their relationship.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" She started to say.

"It's quite alright," he assured her confidently, sparing her the briefest of glances. The redhead still seemed nervous, chewing the bottom of her lip and then taking a big gulp of her red wine. "Nel and I know exactly where we stand with one another," he added, almost trying to convince himself as his gaze returned to Nel's enigmatic and smiling face.

Orihime didn't say anything as she returned to watching Nel and Ichigo talking. Her longtime oranged-hair friend obviously seemed to be embarrassed about something as his face was turning a brighter red with every second of their conversation. Whatever Nel was saying, it was clearly flustering Ichigo. _Why does Nel have that effect on every man?_ Orihime thought to herself.

"So…you and Ulquiorra?" Starrk drawled out, pulling Orihime out of her thoughts.

"Ah…haha, yes…" She replied, hiding a shy smile as she sipped her wine.

"He seems happy," Starrk commented, glancing at her briefly. Orihime turned and looked at the living room, searching the crowd for Ulquiorra's face. He wasn't anywhere to be seen though.

"I guess…" Orihime said hesitantly.

"You guess?" Starrk asked, raising an eyebrow as he regarded the redhead. Her golden eyelashes fluttered as she looked away from him, clearly unnerved by something. "Is everything alright with him?" Starrk prompted slowly, showing reluctant concern.

"No, everything's fine, I mean, at least I think so. He hasn't said anything about things not being fine. It's just…" Orihime paused, giving Starrk a pleading look that asked him to stop pushing the subject. "Nel was right. Things aren't easy with us…given our past and all. I wish this could all be simpler," she explained as she fiddled with her glass of wine.

Starrk was thoughtful for a moment as he considered his dark-haired friend and the young lady in front of him.

"If we wait for complicated to pass and simplicity to come, we would wait for an eternity," Starrk said as he hooked a thumb into a pocket of his jeans. Things between him and Nel were always complicated by Nnoitra, and Starrk had waited for what seemed like an eternity for his relationship with his wife to become simple− but it never did.

Orihime shot Starrk a curious look, surprised to hear such wise words come out from such a gruff-looking man.

"Why _did_ you and Nel marry? Did you love her?" Orihime asked out of the blue.

"Loneliness causes you to do a lot of things you normally wouldn't do," Starrk said slowly, his gaze frozen ahead of him. "Sometimes your soul becomes so empty you'll do just about anything to feel whole…even if it's temporary. She did make me feel whole, but it was only temporary."

"You don't think you guys will get back together?"

"Now, where would you get such a silly notion?"

"I don't know…" Orihime said hesitantly. "I guess…just the way you guys look at each other."

"And how do we look at each other?" Starrk asked skeptically.

"I imagine…the same way Ulquiorra and I look at each other," Orihime said simply.

A few long seconds passed without comment from Starrk. Orihime took another gulp of her wine.

"You don't want to be comparing yourselves to Nel and I, you'll curse yourselves into an unhappy ending," Starrk finally said flatly.

"You can still change your ending with Nel. It's never too late," Orihime replied, her grey eyes clashing with his steel ones for a brief but meaningful moment. He looked away, almost dismissively.

"I'm gonna get some more cookies," Orihime said abruptly, breaking the seriousness of the conversation as she flashed a brief encouraging smile. The redhead took her cue to leave, murmuring a goodbye as she disappeared into the crowded

Starrk was left frowning, confused and contemplative about Orihime's advice.

* * *

Chad poked his head into the dimly lit nursery. It was a shadowy room, where all the pastels had merged into dark greys and blues. The shade of the only large window was drawn allowing very little light into the room, but Chad could see the outline of his friend Ichigo sitting in the rocking chair next to the crib. Closing the door behind him, Chad walked into the room, his feet silent as he padded over to where Ichigo was seated.

"How is he?" Chad asked in a low and quiet voice. His eyes were slowly adjusting to the dimmer light and he could see the pale and tired looking face of his friend. He pulled a white and yellow ottoman over to Ichigo and sat down.

"He sleeps like a rock," Ichigo said in a dry and amused tone. Both men watched the sleeping baby through the wooden bars of the crib. "I keep wondering if he'll ever know about all of this. If we'll ever have to explain or tell him about what had happened in the days following his birth."

"You will cross that bridge when the time comes," Chad said confidently. Ichigo didn't reply. Instead, he leaned over, shoulders hunched, elbows rested on his knees as he buried his face into his hands. Chad could hear the muffle of Ichigo's long sigh as he kept his head down. Ichigo was clearly agitated and worried. Uryuu had been right to decide not to tell Ichigo about Orihime's problem; there was no way his orange-haired friend could take any more stress.

Chad had always been comfortable with silence, especially around Ichigo. They had formed a strong friendship over the years that did not need words. But on that particular day, Chad felt compelled to talk about something, if only to distract Ichigo. He thought long and hard about what he could say that would divert Ichigo's thoughts from Hisaki and Rukia, and slowly he came to a conclusion about what he needed to talk about. It wasn't his first choice as far as conversation topics would go, but it would definitely pull Ichigo's mind into another direction.

"We were fighting about you that day," Chad started as he picked up a stuffed bunny that was lying on the floor next to him. He examined the toy as he continued casually, "I was no longer comfortable hiding our relationship from you and I wanted to tell you, but Karin didn't want to."

Ichigo's head popped up as he shot his friend a curious look. He sat up straight and turned his attention from watching his sleeping son to listening to his best friend. "How did it happen? …you two, I mean…" Ichigo stuttered, trying to get a handle on the conversation without picturing his baby sister making out with Chad.

"Several months ago," Chad explained, adding quickly, "I have felt uncomfortable about it ever since."

"It's okay," Ichigo said slowly, his shadowy brown eyes growing soft and understanding.

"It was late one night…Karin had been at the bar with a bunch of her friends. They stayed and drank all night, oh, but not Karin," Chad said, immediately noticing the sharp disapproving look on Ichigo's face when he mentioned Karin drinking. "Karin stayed pretty sober all night, but many of her friends got a little too wasted. By the end of the night, all of them had taken cabs home except for one of them. I don't remember her name….she had blonde hair and was all twiggy and loud…"

"Meredith," Ichigo said, recognizing the description right away. "I never really liked her…" He commented.

"Yes, well they called a cab and waited and waited, but it never came. It was a busy week, the frats and sororities were rushing or something and all the college students were out," Chad paused for a moment and sighed, placing the bunny back on the carpeted floor where it had been. "So I had Ryuu close up the bar for me, and I offered to drive them back to their apartment….do you really want to know all this?"

"Well obviously not the details," Ichigo scowled. "So you took them back to their apartment, and then you and Karin...you know, you guys…fell for each other?"

"She did have a little alcohol in her, enough to give her the courage to tell me she had a crush on me and I…well," Chad sighed, feeling the awkwardness grow exponentially as the conversation continued. "I've always found Karin to be a lovely girl," Chad said carefully.

Ichigo laughed. "Yes, _lovely_," he said dryly. Chad ignored Ichigo's sarcasm.

"Things happened really fast. And I grew to care about her very much," Chad said simply.

"Well if things were getting so serious between you two, why didn't she want to tell me?" Ichigo asked, knowing very well that his sister rarely ever shared anything personal with him. Chad shrugged.

"I don't know why she didn't want to tell you. I was quite confused about that as well, but she was very insistent. I think she eventually told her sister, but I don't think she ever told anyone else. And…for a while I wasn't sure whether it was the right thing to do. Instinctively I didn't like hiding it from you but at the same time I wasn't sure where it was really going. I thought if we broke up or things didn't work out, then maybe it wouldn't be worth bothering you about it."

"You could have told me, I would have been a little bit shocked but I wouldn't have been that angry. It's not like I could kick your butt anyways. I was on crutches and could barely carry my half of the tree, you'd beat me in a second," Ichigo said mildly. "So that was it? You wanted to tell me but she didn't so you guys broke up?"

"It was a combination of things," Chad said, thinking about his relationship with Karin. "As time went on, we found that we differed in many ways. I worried about those differences."

"Really? I think you two are pretty similar," Ichigo commented, shrugging his shoulder. Chad suppressed a need to roll his eyes.

"She's…very young," Chad said carefully. "Karin is a lovely girl, but she has very strong emotions and opinions about things. I had a hard time reconciling the black and white world she likes to live in."

"Ah yes, she is like that− I think it helps with her insecurities, to make the world a more stable place than it is," Ichigo murmured as he thought about the conversations at the dinner table Christmas night. He remembered Karin's sharp and mocking comments and Chad's solemn reprimanding. Chad was indeed a more polite person than Karin; Ichigo began to see how that would make their personalities clash.

"She really is a lovely girl," Chad said again. Ichigo began to feel slightly annoyed with how many times Chad kept describing his sister as lovely.

"I know, Chad. You don't need to keep reassuring me that you really liked her."

"I just want you to know that I think very highly of her, I just don't know if we're right for each other," Chad said quickly, finally feeling relieved to get to the point of the conversation.

"Well, she must have cared about you a lot. She seemed pretty distraught when you guys broke up," Ichigo muttered, remembering the day he saw his sister in tears. "In fact, I can't remember the last time I saw her cry that much…"

Chad's heart sank with guilt. "I never meant to hurt her…"

"Chad, I know. Relationships are hard," Ichigo said, his voice holding an edge of resentment as he tried not to think about the state of his relationship with his own wife. He waited a beat before sighing loudly. He glanced briefly at his sleeping son and then at his watch, before turning to Chad and patting him on the shoulder. "Well, my friend…it's that time."

Chad looked down at his watch as well and then nodded. "Indeed it is."

* * *

Ulquiorra and Starrk exchanged brief glances of greeting as Ulquiorra walked up to the alcohol station that had been set up in the kitchen. Without saying a word, Ulquiorra reached for the scotch and refilled his glass. As he took a sip of the smooth liquor, Ulquiorra turned so he could face the crowd of the living room. He mimicked Starrk's position by leaning against the counter and slouching ever so casually. From the corner of his eye, Ulquiorra could easily see what Starrk was drinking.

"Why are you torturing yourself like this?" Ulquiorra asked, referring to the water in Starrk's cup and the multiple bottles of alcohol behind him.

"Why do you torture yourself by purchasing a house by the sea when we all know your fears?" Starrk replied, his dry low tone carrying no hint of malice. Ulquiorra didn't respond at first, both men knowing the answers to the questions.

"Punishment to soothe a guilty soul," Ulquiorra murmured, burying his muffled comment in his cup as he took a sip of his scotch. "And I did not purchase, I am renting."

"Because your stay is only temporary?" Tatsuki chirped as she approached. She had heard Ulquiorra's last comment about the status of his home ownership.

"I will stay as long as I need to," Ulquiorra replied plainly, his green eyes flashed with irritation. Tatsuki, feeling slightly startled at the seriousness of Ulquiorra's response, looked away as she focused on the task of pouring herself another drink.

Ulquiorra watched the dark-haired girl intensely, waiting for her to say more. He wanted to be able to confront those who were putting doubts into Orihime's heart. When it seemed like her snarky comments had ceased for the moment though, Ulquiorra gave up and walked away sullenly.

Tatsuki raised an eyebrow as she saw him leaving. She mixed her drink with a green and white striped straw as she watched him disappear into the living room.

"Is he always so brooding?" She asked Starrk as she leaned against the counter in the same manner Ulquiorra and Orihime had done when they had talked with Starrk.

"You get used to it," Starrk replied. Even though standing next to the alcohol station was nothing but pure sadistic torture for a recovering alcoholic, he was enjoying the social aspect of being there. It seemed everyone had something to say as they refilled their drinks. "He truly cares for her," Starrk commented casually.

"And how do you know?" Tatsuki asked, sounding skeptical.

Starrk did not respond, except to raise an eyebrow at her.

"I've known Orihime ever since I was a child, and I don't want to see my friend get hurt," Tatsuki explained.

Her nerves were on edge. She had been given orders from Chad and Uryuu to 'distract' Renji during the operation. When the signal came though, Tatsuki felt like a dumbbell had been dropped in her stomach and her heart started racing at the thought of having to talk to Renji. It was absolutely ridiculous. She and Renji used to talk all the time, why should this be any different?

Tatsuki had circled the length of the Kurosaki-Kuchiki household, putting off the task up until now. She knew that Chad, Ichigo, and Uryuu would be engaging their mission right about now and that she would feel incredibly awful if she could not do her small part of the plan. She had never been a shinigami like Ichigo nor had she ever developed any special powers like Chad and Orihime. She was merely a human with the slightest ability to see wandering ghosts from time to time. Distracting Renji was something that she, as a petty human, was capable of doing. But just because she was capable didn't mean it wasn't hard gathering the courage to talk to a man she had slept with and decidedly fallen in love with.

"Loyalty is admirable," Starrk said, his kind remark catching Tatsuki offguard. She forced a small smile; it wasn't fair to take out her mood on him.

"I want to save her from an unhappy ending," Tatsuki said, her sad voice revealing far too much vulnerability than she had intended. "Nothing good can come out of this." The phrase was out of her mouth before she could stop it. She chewed on her bottom lip and hoped that the tall handsome man next to her would not take offense.

Starrk didn't take offense at all. Instead, his lips curved into a subtle smile, remembering his earlier reference to unhappy endings when he had been talking with Orihime.

"An unhappy ending? Are you telling me that fairy tales don't come true?" Starrk's dry comment caught Tatsuki off guard. When she glanced at him she saw him hiding a slight smile behind his cup as he sipped his drink.

"Fairy tales are for children."

"It's a good thing I'm not a child then."

"A good thing for you and me," Tatsuki said.

Starrk watched the dark-haired girl from the corner of his eye with sympathy. Her tone was riddled with far too much bitterness to really be talking about someone else's misery. He lifted up his cup of water and sipped it as slowly as if he was drinking what he really wanted to drink; perhaps if he pretended hard enough, he could turn water into wine. Through the small window above the kitchen sink he could see soft light snowflakes begin to fall.

"Does it ever stop snowing here?" Starrk asked, the dislike in his voice sounding painful.

"It does, but not until March," Tatsuki explained, turning so she could examine him. His hair could have looked frightful, its long mangled brown waves held back into a small ponytail, but he somehow managed to look well put together. The light grey of his eyes made his sharp features seem almost alarming, if not for the relaxed curve of his lips. She could tell by the way he dressed that he belonged in the desert and not on frozen tundra. She found herself admiring the smooth slope of his nose and the elegant arch of his eyebrows. And that jaw-line was perfect: strong, square, and very masculine. She couldn't help but blush as she took in his perfect physique.

"You are Ichigo's oldest friend?" Starrk asked, lifting a brow as he felt her watchful gaze.

"Ah yes…I've known him since we were children," Tatsuki shrugged as if it weren't a big deal that she had known Ichigo for such a long time.

"I remember you. You were at Soul Society after the sentencing," Starrk said calmly. Tatsuki batted her eyes, surprised at his recognition. "Your name…is?" He asked.

"Tatsuki. Tatsuki Arisawa," she said, putting out her hand for a handshake. She watched as her hand disappeared into his. His hand was very warm and dry. Tatsuki could feel the hard calluses of his fingers and palm. His handshake was firm and brief. The sleeves of his shirt were rolled back just enough so she could see the hairs on his arm. Tatsuki, who had been a tomboy all her life, was being made to feel extremely small and feminine next to this towering man. "And you are Starrk," she said lamely, pulling her hand away as if she had been burned.

"Yes."

"What's your first name?"

"Coyote."

"Oh."

"Why were you at the sentencing?"

"To see and support my friends. Ichigo had been severely hurt and Chad, Orihime, and Uryuu were all there." Tatsuki remembered walking around Soul Society with her friends. It was a place unlike any other she had ever been to. The memory was so faint though, it seemed like a dream. "Why did they give that sentence anyway?" Tatsuki asked suddenly. No one had ever given her the entire story. Renji and Rukia had always been vague about the specifics and Orihime and Ichigo never seemed to know the entire story.

"Why did we become human?"

"Yes."

"Well surely you know it's not by choice."

"Of course, it's your sentence after all," Tatsuki nodded as she took a sip of her drink. She had added too much alcohol and it burned down her throat.

"They did not believe that we were entirely to blame for what we had become, so they did not wish death upon us."

"Why would you not want death?" Tatsuki asked. Starrk raised his eyebrows, surprised at her forwardness and lack of tact.

"Who isn't afraid of death and everything that comes after?"

"But you were already there in Soul Society, how much worse could it get?" Tatsuki asked confused. Starrk shook his head.

"No, I'm afraid they never did explain it to you entirely did they?" Starrk said. "We are nothing more but evolved hollows and hollows cannot cross over without a proper soul burial, you see. What Ichigo and Renji and all the other shinigami do is purify hollows so they can return to Soul Society."

"So why couldn't they just give you a proper soul burial?"

"They don't know how actually. They only know how to kill us, wipe out our existence entirely. Some people argued that was not fair because we were not entirely responsible for what we became."

"So your soul can never be purified?"

"I don't really know what purified means, but our souls can never get to Soul Society and find peace."

"But you've found peace here on earth? Right?" Tatsuki asked, her heart feeling the slightest bit of pain at the full understanding of what it meant to be trapped on earth.

"I don't know. I guess we're not supposed to, I'm not sure if we're really capable," Starrk said with a shrug.

"But have you found peace?" Tatsuki asked, part of her screaming inside with humiliation at the audacity she had to ask such a private question.

"Sometimes," Starrk said. He cleared his throat since he was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation.

"You all lead such successful lives, it seems like you've all found peace," Tatsuki commented.

Starrk merely shrugged again, not responding to Tatsuki. She waited several seconds before she searched for something else to say that would alleviate the seriousness of their discussion.

"I'm surprised you remember me," Tatsuki said sheepishly. "I was hardly anyone important."

"You were the only human in Soul Society."

"I suppose…although Chad, Orihime and Uryuu are all humans…and Ichigo is too technically. God, I guess it doesn't matter," Tatsuki said shaking her head. "I guess I don't think of myself as memorable."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know," Tatsuki said, laughing nervously. Her gaze flickered across the room to where Nel was standing talking to Orihime. "Because I don't look like _her_."

Starrk followed her gaze to where she had pointed.

"Who? Nel or Orihime?" Starrk asked confused. He saw Nel standing in a pink satin sheath dress that skimmed her curves and stopped much too short for a family-friendly party. Her strappy high heels belonged on a runway or in a club, not on soft carpeted floors.

"Either one!" Tatsuki rolled her eyes.

"What's so special about them?" Starrk asked indifferently. Mentally, he purposely pushed away memories of his night on the balcony with Nel. Instead he took in the girl Tatsuki. She was lithe and casually dressed, but he could tell she was muscular underneath her t-shirt and jeans. With those large brown eyes, the girl before him was cute enough.

"Oh please…men go crazy for women like Nel. She's tall and beautiful and has great…" Tatsuki stopped herself from saying 'tits' by forcing a large gulp of her drink down her throat. She nearly choked on the strong alcohol. Better to choke and look like an even bigger fool than she already did. The biggest secret about Tatsuki's insecurities with men was that she felt incredibly clumsy and awkward with them. Around her male friends, she had no problem being who she was (a swearing, drinking, stomping woman), but around a man like Starrk she had no idea what to do with her hands or her tongue.

"…Great?" Starrk didn't need her to finish her sentence to know what she rattling on about, but a small part of him couldn't resist seeing her squirm.

"Great manners," Tatsuki said firmly. She closed her eyes and guzzled the rest of her drink. Starrk suppressed the urge to chuckle at her. With her short crop of dark hair, probably once cut boyishly short, growing out to her chin's length and her large brown eyes, she reminded him a woodland fairy. Such a compliment would probably not be well received by such a hardened cynical girl though.

"I assure you, you have great…manners," Starrk said, his grey eyes twinkling and his face completely serious. Tatsuki felt her cheeks flush with heat as she coughed, trying to rid her mouth of the awful vodka taste.

"Well, men like you don't go for my kind of manners. I'm afraid I was never a very polite girl growing up. I can be a complete degenerate when I want to be," she laughed casually. It wasn't so hard talking to this man, right?

"What's wrong with that? Who says I'm not a complete degenerate myself?"

"Somehow I doubt that you are, sir," she added the _sir_ at the end with the slightest hint of sarcasm. Next to her awkwardness he was all grace and elegance.

"I'm full of surprises," he replied in an equally sarcastic tone. Tatsuki found herself smiling, despite herself, and when she turned and locked eyes with him she found herself feeling suddenly shy for no reason. In her attempt to stop looking at his startling handsome face, her gaze drifted over to the crowded living room where Rukia and Renji stood chatting away about something. Tatsuki felt her stomach turn upside down. As sexy as Starrk was, he did not have the hold on her heart that Renji had.

Then, as if he had read her thoughts, Renji turned his head and caught Tatsuki's gaze. His eyes flickered from her face to Starrk and then back again, his eyebrows frowned disapprovingly. Tatsuki struggled to read the look on his face. His lips were taunt with tension and his nostrils flared unhappily. _He's jealous_, Tatsuki concluded gleefully. Now, she knew exactly how to distract Renji.

"Is everything alright?" Starrk asked, seeing the sudden change in Tatsuki's face.

"Yep, I think I've had a little too much to drink," Tatsuki said, letting out a girlish giggle (like the ones she had seen Orihime do time and time again in front of all men). "I think I should get something to eat to pad my stomach. Would you like for me to get you something?" Tatsuki asked, looking up at Starrk from beneath her eyelashes. She fixed her sweetest-Orihime-like happy smile onto her lips.

Starrk wanted to raise an eyebrow with confusion for a moment (why would she need to get him anything? He was surrounded by food…), but he soon realizing that she was _flirting_ with him. As flattered as he was, he was not a man who flirted. If she wanted something, she had better be blunt about it. He briefly shot a glance at Nel across the room, who met his cold stare with an angry one. It seemed Nel had been watching them for some time, and jealousy burned brightly in her hazel eyes. Time to show her that things were really over for good.

Starrk turned back to Tatsuki and tilted his head to the side, his voice lowering an octave, "How about we go somewhere else?"

* * *

Renji raised his plastic cup up to his lips and began to chug. He was feeling unusually nervous for some reason and his mouth always went dry when he was nervous. Renji, a seasoned Lieutenant Captain and worthy of full captainship himself, always kept cool under pressure: his hands didn't shake, he didn't break out into a sweat, and he never froze on the battlefield. Renji was a man of action after all. But for some strange reason, he'd developed the habit of getting extremely parched whenever he felt nervous. As the fruit punch hit his tongue and flooded his mouth with the pungent sharp taste of vodka, his gag reflexes (unprepared for the sudden rush of alcohol) forced him to cough up the drink. Red fruit punch sprayed out of his mouth and nose and into the air like some sort of pink mist.

"Ooohh, Renji!" Rukia groaned. "Why did you have to do that? That was disgusting…"

Renji grabbed nearby napkins and quickly wiped himself down.

"Rukia! I think someone spiked the punch!" Renji said as he dabbed his mouth with the paper napkin.

"Yeah, I know. It was me," Rukia flatly responded.

"Huh? Why would you do that?" Renji asked, grabbing more napkins and wiping down his chin and white t-shirt, which now was covered in pink splashes of the fruit punch. "Ugh, now I'm going to smell like vodka!"

Rukia merely rolled her eyes as she sipped her own cup of fruit punch.

"Oh stop whining, Renji," Rukia replied calmly, her eyes fixed on the busy crowd before her. "Go put on one of Ichigo's shirts or something."

"I don't want to keep wearing all his clothes. He's skinnier than me and he complains that I stretch out his t-shirts," Renji muttered, sighing loudly as he finally finished cleaning himself up. Some of Rukia's coworkers had noticed Renji's little spit-up spill and had made faces of disgust and amusement, which Renji normally would not care about if not for the fact that all of Rukia's coworkers seemed to be young single women. Renji hated looking stupid in front of the opposite sex.

"Is that one of Ichigo's shirts you're wearing right now?" Rukia asked.

"Uh…yes…"

"Then quit complaining and go get yourself a clean shirt," Rukia calmly said, continuing to take steady sips of her drink. Her house was filled with people and Rukia was wondering how that had happened. Yuzu had approached her with the idea of throwing a party for Hisaki, and Rukia (having been sleep-deprived and unable to consciously process the request) had reluctantly said yes. It was supposed to have been "a small gathering of close friends," but before she knew it, Yuzu had managed to invite all of Rukia's coworkers and some of her random college friends as well.

"Why'd you spike the punch, Rukia?" Renji's murmured question snapped Rukia out of her daze.

"Because I wanted a real drink, but I didn't want to be seen drinking a real drink," Rukia replied.

"So why didn't you just spike your own drink?"

"Because I didn't want to keep doing it," Rukia said. "Renji, my house has been taken over by a mass of people, half of whom I barely know− I need a real drink."

"Who cares if people see you drinking alcohol? It's not like you're still pregnant," Renji pointed out.

"I'm still breastfeeding, you idiot."

"Oh…is that going to be okay? Do you mean Hisaki is going to get spiked breast milk later?" Renji asked loudly, his eyes practically bulging from his sockets in shock.

"Oh god, Renji! Of course not, and keep your damn voice down. The whole room doesn't need to know about my breast milk!" Rukia hissed, elbowing her friend with irritation. "I pumped this morning, there's more than enough for Hisaki today." It might have seemed odd that they were discussing breast milk to the everyday stranger, but Rukia and Renji had known each other for such a long time that it was commonplace enough for Renji to know about Hisaki's feeding schedule.

"Okay, okay…easy, Rukia. Don't take it all out on me," Renji muttered as he filled his plastic cup with more fruit punch. Now that he was prepared for the hard hit of vodka, it would be a much more pleasant drink.

Rukia sighed loudly as she set her plastic cup down on the nearby table. Her gaze lingered on the large bowl of red juice, filled with cut up pieces of pineapple and other indistinguishable fruit. It was surrounded by cookies, cupcakes, cheese and crackers, bruschetta, and chips and dip. There were several food stations set up around the house: two on opposing sides of the living room, a large banquet in the kitchen, and even more plates of food in the dining room. Yuzu had gone all out this time. There was enough food to feed everyone at the party for days if needed. When Rukia had started to protest at the amount of food Yuzu was making, she cheerfully explained that she was considering starting a catering business and wanted the chance to try out her best recipes. It was so hard saying no to Yuzu and Rukia had been so tired from staying up at night with the baby that she just gave in to the young girl. Of all the fights that were happening right now between her and her friends, this was certainly one she did not need to deal with.

"I'm sorry, Renji," Rukia sighed loudly as she leaned against the wall that the table of food was pushed up against. "I'm just _so_ tired…I can hardly tell what day or time it is…"

Renji knit his eyebrows with concern for his friend. She did indeed look completely exhausted. Rukia's usually creamy complexion was looking rather sallow, and she had dark circles underneath her eyes. "Are you getting _too_ tired? You could go take a nap you know…Hisaki is with Ichigo right now and I'm sure no one would hold it against you…"

"No, no…" Rukia muttered as she picked up her cup again. "I don't want sleep. I want peace." The look of complete desolation on Rukia's face made Renji's heart ache. More than anything, he wanted to be able to relieve all this pressure from her, but all he could do was stand by her side and protect her if need be. He stepped over next to Rukia, and mimicked her stance by leaning against the wall and surveying the crowd.

"Tatsuki's talking to Starrk," Rukia observed as she sipped her drink.

Renji choked on his drink, and nearly spat out the fruit punch again. He pursed his lips together enough to stop the spray, but the juice still trickled through his lips down his chin.

"What?" Renji managed to say after he took a hard swallow. Renji followed Rukia's gaze across the room to the open door of the kitchen. Tatsuki stood next to alcohol station with a drink in her hands and a smile on her lips. She was clearly listening to something amusing that Starrk was saying, but since his back was to them Renji could not make out what the tall man was saying.

"I wonder what they're talking about…" Rukia said slowly, her low voice dancing with slight amusement. Tatsuki had her head tilted to the side as she stared up at Starrk with glowing interested eyes. Jealousy burned inside Renji's belly like fire.

"_What…the…fuck…_" Renji whispered fiercely underneath his breath. "What the hell does she think she's doing?" He asked, this time back in his normal tone.

"Enjoying conversation with an interesting man," Rukia replied, trying her best to hide her sly smile.

"An _interesting_ man?" Renji snapped, as he turned to his friend and raised an angry eyebrow.

"What?" Rukia said innocently, batting her violet eyes and continuing to hide her smile behind her plastic cup. "He is interesting. Did you know he owns a casino _and_ a hotel?"

"Are you trying to piss me off?" Renji growled. Rukia couldn't help herself and bursted out laughing.

"Oh, Renji, of course not," Rukia said grinning− it felt good to laugh…she could not remember the last time she laughed. "But your jealousy should be telling you something…"

Renji stared blankly at his friend with questioning eyes.

"You should go talk to Tatsuki!" Rukia said, holding back the urge to roll her eyes at him. Men never seemed to get the obvious when it came to relationships. "You need to talk to her, especially if you value whatever it is that you guys had going before all of this," Rukia chastised. Renji scowled and turned from glaring at his friend, to glowering at the two across the room.

"I don't know what to say to her," Renji muttered in a grouchy and barely audible tone.

"What?" Rukia said, unable to hear the murmur above the loud chatting noise of the room.

"I said…I don't know what to say to her!" Renji said loudly, and then winced when he realized he had garnered the attention of nearby strangers. He turned and looked sheepishly at Rukia. "What am I supposed to say to her? Hey, how's it going? By the way, _you're wrong_ and I'm right!" Rukia spared her friend a brief glance before returning to observing Tatsuki and Starrk.

"This isn't between you and Tatsuki, Renji…" Rukia said, noticing how Starrk had just said something to make Tatsuki laugh hysterically.

"The hell it's not," Renji said, his voice steely and irritated.

"Don't let this come between you two," Rukia replied, her eyes fixed on the couple. "We don't need any more relationships dissolving." Renji's attention shifted, Tatsuki and Starrk moving to the back of his mind as he watched his friend's sad voice closely. He paused for a moment, unsure of what to say. In the end, he just said whatever came to his mind.

"You and Ichigo will get through this," Renji assured. "I know this."

Rukia was quiet for a while; the only noises between them belonged to the conversations around them.

Renji was just beginning to think that Rukia no longer wanted to say anything on the topic when she sighed loudly and finally, without looking at him, quietly said, "Thank you, Renji. Starrk just left with Tatsuki."

"WHAAAT?"

* * *

"You don't understand him− !" Nel stated simply.

"Not like you understand him? No one can understand any of them except you, right?" Orihime finally snapped. Somehow during the course of their conversation she had begun to silently resent Nel for all the emotional intimacy she apparently shared with the Espada men, including Ulquiorra. Nel seemed to think she knew Ulquiorra _very_ well. Orihime had been fighting with Nel for almost five minutes now. Their argument was quickly escalating into a shouting match. At first Orihime felt very self-conscious about the amount of attention their loud conversation was drawing, but Nel had crossed a line and now Orihime no longer cared what anyone around them was thinking or saying. Very few people could incite such anger in her, and Nel seemed like she was going to become the queen of all of them. The woman seemed to have absolutely no sense of boundaries or intuition about the limitations of such private information.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Orihime finally managed to ask, taking a deep breath in an attempt to curb her emotions. She had made the serious mistake of mentioning Ulquiorra's proposal, which for some odd reason had set Nel off. "Why do you think we're so wrong for each other?"

"Ughhhh," Nel moaned with frustration as she combed her hand through her mess of thick wavy hair. She gripped the silky strands and tried her best not to give into the impulse to pull all of her hair out. Orihime was driving Nel completely crazy. How could anyone be so dense?

"He is really trying, you know? He's dedicated his whole life to trying to understand human existence and he wants so badly to atone for his sins. He won't admit it, but more than anything he wants a second chance at life. And maybe Nnoitra, and Grimmjow, and I have thrown away ours, but he still wants more than he has. If you marry him, if you stay by his side, you will be a _constant _reminder of who he _really_ is and what he _used_ to be!" Nel hissed, fury burning in her hazel eyes.

Nel had started the day off badly and everything else had gone downhill from there. Starrk was not talking to her. He was flirting instead with that toothpick-thin friend of Orihime's, and now the redhead's confession that Ulquiorra had proposed was just the icing on the cake. Before she knew it, she was giving Orihime a piece of her mind, being sure to try to get across the consequences of their relationship. But now it seemed like Nel's words had finally shut Orihime up. The redhead stared at Nel with large glassy grey eyes, shocked and speechless.

Nel started to feel bad. She sighed and rolled her eyes, setting aside her almost empty martini and grabbing Orihime by the shoulders firmly. "I don't hate you. Look, I'm sorry, but if you really love him you have to let him go. He will never be able to move on as long as you are in his life, and you will never have the normal stable relationship you probably want."

Orihime was so shocked that panic hadn't quite settled in yet. Was Nel really saying what she was saying? Was Nel really saying out loud what Orihime had been silently thinking all along?

"You know that we can't produce children, right?" Nel added, raising an eyebrow. Orihime paled and felt her heart drop down into her belly faster than a dumbbell could fall. "You guys can never be a normal couple..."

Then suddenly, Orihime and Nel were both ripped from their conversations by a bloodcurdling cry.

"**MY BABY! MY BABY'S GONE!**!" Rukia hysterically screamed as she ran into the center of the living room.

* * *

Ta da! I hope you enjoyed reading that. I will post comments and music at my livejournal in case you are curious about my thoughts about this chapter and the music that goes with it. Feel free to completely skip all the parts where I vent out the frustrations of the past few months! You can read it all at mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com


	21. Chapter 21: The Truth

**A/N**: Weeeelllcommmeee! Are you guys still on a high from the Ulquihime comic that came out last week? I know I am! *heart skips a beat* Anyways, I'm so excited to share this very important chapter with you. It's rather short compared to others, but in another way it's also very big, in terms of what happens. As I had said in my livejournal post last week, we are now a little over 75% done with this story! Can you believe it? :) Okay, happy reading guys!

* * *

**Chapter 21: The Truth**

The sword came out of nowhere slashing down with such force that the air seemed to quiver with fear. Ichigo swung Zangetsu up, blocking the blow just in time to prevent it from slicing open his skull. In his left arm he clutched his baby in swaddling blankets while he focused his energy into his right arm and hand that held Zangetsu.

"Renji! BACK OFF!" Ichigo growled as he pushed Zabimaru away. The blades of the two swords dragged against each other, creating a high-pitched screeching noise loud enough to startle Hisaki. The baby opened his little eyes and let out a loud cry. His wailing echoed throughout the large room.

"HAND HIM OVER!" Renji hissed, whipping past Ichigo and taking advantage of an opening. He switched his grip on the hilt of his sword until he held it with both hands, before stabbing it at the left side of Ichigo's lower back.

Ichigo leaped forward, missing the stab by millimeters. He could feel the rush of air around him as Renji summoned more power. The lieutenant's body glowed a bright red and the entire warehouse pulsated with his reiatsu. It hadn't taken long for Renji to locate Ichigo and Hisaki (much to Uryuu's chagrin). They had been at the warehouse for no more than five minutes before Renji showed up. It wouldn't be much longer until Rukia found them as well since Renji had given the coordinates of the location to her before he flew away.

"Over my dead body!" Ichigo spat out. His body was entirely swathed by his own intimidating reiatsu, materializing in the form of shinigami garments and glowing a bright and brilliant blue.

Suddenly, a neon gleaming arrow whipped past Ichigo towards Renji.

Renji whipped Zabimaru at the arrow, deflecting it off into the farther reaches of the warehouse. Boards, plaster, and sheetrock crumbled down as the arrow hit the back wall. Renji had barely a second before another arrow was shot at his back. He whirled around and swung his sword at it as he turned around. Zabimaru blocked the arrow just in time, but another arrow was already coming at him from his left side. From the corner of his eye and based on Ichigo's reiatsu, Renji knew that the orange-haired former-shinigami was retreating. He wanted to pursue Ichigo, but he couldn't, not when deadly Quincy arrows were being shot at him from every single direction possible.

"I would be careful if I were you." A calm male voice echoed directionlessly in the room.

"Come out and fight like a man!" Renji growled. He was growing increasingly frustrated by not being able to determine Uryuu's location. The warehouse had high vaulted ceilings and was as large and open as a gymnasium. With the exception of the piles of lumber stacked in the back of the room, there was nowhere for anyone to really hide. Where the hell was that Quincy?

"I'm afraid that I can't. You see, as long as you continue to attack I will not become visible. That's the wonderful charm of this Quincy training room. I would put away my sword if I were you…unless you wish to die," Uryuu taunted.

Another arrow whipped past Renji, searing off a lock of his red hair and slicing his right cheek. In the back of the room Ichigo leapt from each pile of lumber until he reached the highest one, hoping to obtain a height advantage so he could use getsuga tenshō on Renji.

Renji took the slightest second to touch the cut on his cheek; blood dripped down the side of his face. The seasoned lieutenant easily ignored the sharp pain, but the focus on the cut and the effort it took to avoid Uryuu's deadly arrows made it impossible for him to dodge the sudden bright ball of energy that was being shot straight at him. The glowing ball hit him straight in the stomach, sending him back against the wall with the force of a bullet. Renji hit the wall, cracking plaster and sheetrock before dropping straight back down like an anvil to the hardened cement floor.

"Put down your weapon, Renji," Chad said grimly as he stepped out from behind a pile of lumber several feet taller than him. He started slowly walking toward Renji, who sat on the floor now looking like a broken doll.

"Never," Renji replied in a low dark voice. He lifted a shaky arm and brushed the broken pieces of cement and dust on him off. "I've sworn to protect Rukia and Hisaki and I'll do that no matter what…even if it means taking all three of you down."

* * *

"Why aren't you driving faster?" Rukia screamed at Tatsuki. Tatsuki shot her friend a nervous glance, but otherwise maintained the steady speed they were already traveling at.

"I can't, Rukia," Tatsuki replied. "There's all this traffic…"

"Tatsuki! Are you kidding me? It's my son! If you really know nothing about this like you claim you do, if you're really not Ichigo's accomplice…" Rukia threatened through gritted teeth, "Then you better step on the gas. I don't give a damn if you hit other cars or get a speeding ticket!"

"Rukia, please stay calm…we're doing everything we can to help you," Orihime reasoned from the backseat of the minivan. Everyone had piled into the van since everyone seemed to want to 'help.' Rukia sat in the passenger seat of her minivan since Tatsuki had wrestled the steering wheel away from her after reasoning that Rukia was in no shape to drive. Tatsuki reminded Rukia that they could do not help Hisaki if they all died on their way to the warehouse.

"How did Renji locate the warehouse so quickly?" Nel asked quietly from the back of the minivan.

"Uhm…probably just followed the trail of Ichigo's reiatsu? I don't know!" Rukia snapped. She ran a frustrated hand through her dark hair as she took a couple of deep breaths. "I'm sorry…" she apologized. "I just..can't think straight right now."

"It's okay, you're shaken up and worried," Nel said calmly. Nel and Orihime had taken the two separate seats on either side of the minivan while Starrk and Ulquiorra had been forced to wedge their long legs into the very back row of the car.

"You've no remaining ability to detect reiatsu?" Starrk asked curiously.

"No…" Rukia said, suddenly turning the volume of her voice into a whisper. Guilt was written all over her face. "I exchanged all of that ability for the chance to be human and marry Ichigo."

"We'll be there in no time," Orihime said, trying her best to reassure her friend. She leaned forward in her seat so she could reach forward and squeeze Rukia's shoulder. "It's not much further, right Tatsuki?"

"Uhh…yeah," Tatsuki said hesitantly as the minivan suddenly slowed down.

"What's going on here?" Rukia yelled, her voice turning hysterical again. Before them was a gridlocked intersection. The street running perpendicular to the street they were already on seemed to have an endless line of cars. The backup had essentially blocked the route they were on, leaving no room for them to get through.

"There must have been some kind of accident or construction going on," Tatsuki murmured as she angled her head forward in an attempt to see how far the traffic stretched.

"Well don't just sit here! MOVE IT!" Rukia growled as she reached for the steering wheel. Tatsuki quickly shoved the petite woman away, almost losing control of the steering wheel itself.

"STOP IT, Rukia! You're going to get us all killed. And I really don't feel like rear ending this guy in front of us! That's just going to hold us up even more if he gets out and is all pissed and wants to exchange insurance information," Tatsuki reasoned.

"UGHHH!" Rukia screamed with frustration as she pounded the dashboard with her fists.

"What should we do?" Orihime asked lamely. It hadn't been too hard pretending to know nothing about Ichigo's plot, especially when Rukia was so distraught. She seemed more interested in just getting to the location than interrogating anyone for information. And since Renji had already supplied the coordinates for the warehouse, Rukia's main priority was to get to the targeted location.

Everyone in the car was silent for a moment; no one had an answer for Rukia. They were in the middle lane of one of the city's busiest streets. Impatient cars surrounded the minivan, preventing any opportunity for them to turn the vehicle around.

Suddenly Rukia grabbed the handle on the passenger door and opened it, hopping out before anyone had a chance to inquire as to what she was doing.

"What− !" Tatsuki cried as she reached with one arm for Rukia. She managed to grab hold of the hem of Rukia's sweater. The young mother turned around and glared at Tatsuki with flashing violet eyes.

"Let me GO!" Rukia snapped as she tried to pull her sweater back from Tatsuki.

"NO! You're not going anywhere!" Tatsuki yelled, her nerves and concern for the young mother triumphed over irritation in this situation. The two women played tug of war with the hem of Rukia's sweater until Rukia twisted around and slipped herself out of the sweater.

"RUKIA!" Orihime cried as Rukia fled the scene.

"Where's she going?" Ulquiorra asked, his voice holding the slightest hint of tension.

"Oh my god, look! She's trying to steal that car from that little old lady!" Nel said, reaching immediately for the handle on the sliding door of the minivan. Several lanes over, Rukia had opened an elderly woman's car and had dragged her out. The white-haired woman protested vehemently as Rukia closed the driver's side door and revved the engine.

"Rukia STOP, PLEASE!" Orihime begged as she followed Nel out of the minivan. The two ladies ran toward Rukia's new car, but it was already too late. Rukia had turned the car over the curb onto the sidewalk and had already done a u-turn. Her new little red car squealed loudly as she sped off in the opposite direction of traffic on the sidewalk. She was pressing on the gas so hard that black smoke came out of the muffler and it seemed she did not care whether or not she was going to hit any pedestrians. The few people who had been on the sidewalk dove aside in order to avoid being run over by Rukia. Her car drove through the dead potted plants that decorated the streets and the advertising menu stands outside of restaurants, sending debris, paper, soil, and snow up into the air.

"Oh MY GOD! She's going to kill someone!" Orihime yelled as she slowed down. Running at this point was useless. They could barely see the car anymore; the only evidence left was the disaster her little car had left behind. Pedestrians were bewildered, some of them talking loudly and quickly on the cell phones with the police. It was quite clear how shocked the elderly woman was that Rukia stolen her car so abruptly She seemed horrified as she chatted nervously with nearby strangers.

"Rukia doesn't care who she kills at this point as long as she can get her child back," Starrk said from behind Nel and Orihime. The two men had stepped out of the minivan as well, but saw the folly in chasing after the car. Both men stood watching the disaster with their hands in their pockets and distress in their eyes.

"What should we do?" Nel asked, turning as if she were asking only Starrk. After being married to him for so long, she was used to depending to Starrk in crisis situations.

"We go after her of course!" Tatsuki said. She had already parked their minivan since it stood no chance of going anywhere by being in the middle lane. She ran over to the car that had been directly behind the car Rukia had stolen. Before anyone could protest, Tatsuki pulled the young man from his car and tossed him aside like a doll. The bespectacled young man hit a nearby parked car and fell to the ground.

"GET IN!" Tatsuki ordered as she revved the little Toyota's engine. Orihime, Starrk and Ulquiorra ran over and hopped into the car. Then, before the young man could even get back to them to stop them from stealing his car, Tatsuki followed in Rukia's tracks and turned the car around before speeding down the sidewalk.

* * *

"WAIT! Someone's coming!" Chad yelled, his low voice echoing across the vast emptiness of the warehouse. With the exception of Hisaki's wailing cries, all four men shut up and stopped what they were doing. The fight had persisted on and on with Renji on the losing side since he was up against three other men. He had been in many battles before where he had been outnumbered, but this situation was entirely different. These were his friends, and he wasn't actually sure how much he wanted to hurt his friends. It was also incredibly difficult taking shots at Ichigo when Hisaki was in his arm. The shape of Uryuu's body slowly became visible since the four men had stopped fighting. They stood silently, panting heavily and sweating blood.

"What's is it?" Ichigo asked, gripping the hilt of his sword even tighter with alert anticipation.

"Do you hear it? It's a high-pitched sound with a great deal of reiatsu wrapped around it," Uryuu said, his body completely visible again.

"It's getting closer!" Renji said as he turned and faced his three friends with alarmed eyes. Before the men could even respond, what seemed like hurricane force winds blew through the side wall of the warehouse, blowing blocks of cement, plaster, wooden beams and causing debris to go flying across the entire room. All the men ducked in order to avoid being hit with passing fragments of the wall. Ichigo covered Hisaki with his body as he crouched over to protect him. Then, the wind stopped as suddenly as it came leaving nothing but plumes of dust in the air.

"What was that?" Renji asked as he coughed loudly after accidentally inhaling the dense dust. He did not think it was possible, but Hisaki's crying became even louder and grew alarmingly gurgled. It was clear that the explosion of the wall and the plumes were making it difficult for the baby to breathe.

"Ichigo, get Hisaki out of here!" Uryuu commanded as all three men instantly felt the presence of several others. As the dust cleared, they could see the shadowy outline of three men.

"We come in peace," a cheerfully amused voice snaked out. When the air finally thinned, they could see the outline of a green and white striped bucket hat.

"Urahara?" Ichigo cried in bewilderment.

"Why hello, Ichigo! Long time no see," the pale blonde man said as he waved his fan back and forth, blowing dust away from his smiling face.

"Hello, hello, indeed!" Another amused by dryer sounding voice chirped. This time, a tall thin man emerged from the debris.

"Shinji!" Chad said, his eyes widening with surprise.

"The one and only!" Shinji said with a smirk. He whipped his katana in front of him, slapping away the remaining dust from his body. As the air finally cleared, they saw the final silhouette of the third man.

"My, my, my…just look at this place! What ancient technology," the dry voice said with distaste.

"Mayuri!" Renji yelled, his heart bursting into panic as he lunged forward with his sword for an attack.

"That's enough," Shinji said calmly as he jumped in front of Renji, blocking the path with his katana. "We're not here to take the baby," he explained as Renji's sword clashed with his. As they pushed against each other's sword, Shinji took an open opportunity and kicked Renji's stomach, sending him flying backwards into a pile of rubble.

"You're not?" Ichigo said dumbfounded. He shifted Hisaki in his arms despite the shaking nerves in his body. His mind was spinning and conflicted: on one hand, he had always trusted Urahara, but on the other hand Mayuri was the one who was after Hisaki.

"I hardly needed you to do that," Mayuri hissed at Shinji, his yellowed eyes glaring indignantly. "I am more than capable of ripping this underling to shreds with my own bar hands," he added more casually as he pointed at Renji. The lieutenant was having a difficult time standing up from the pile of rubble he had fallen into.

"Hush, hush," Urahara chided, waving his fan back and forth and coughing as he inhaled dust. "We'll explain everything, but we did not come to fight so put down your weapons…that includes you Shinji," Urahara said, his gaze snapped to the side at his companion.

"Mmm," Shinji said with a bright toothy smile. He had never been a man to raise his sword unless necessary; Shinji put away his weapon in one smooth gesture.

"If you're not here to fight then why did you blow out an entire wall!" Uryuu said between gritted teeth. He had somehow managed to almost completely destroy one of his father's best training warehouses.

"I like grand entrances," Mayuri said with a wave his hand, long fingernails fanning in front of him. "And we had to get you boys to shut up and sit still anyway," he added in a low and slightly irritated tone.

"There was no way you four would stop if we didn't do a little something," Shinji explained, stepping forward toward Ichigo. "Is there a way we can stop that baby from crying so loudly?" He asked politely as he flickered a brief glance at Hisaki.

Urahara smiled and murmured a short incantation. The room warmed as Hisaki started to subtly glow. The crying stopped and the little baby yawned, closing his eyes and gurgling a little bit before falling asleep.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO!" Ichigo screamed, shocked at how his yelling did not stop his baby from falling asleep. He dropped his sword and shifted Hisaki in his arms, gently poking him to wake him up.

"Just a little sleeping spell, nothing harmful! He'll wake up in a couple of hours," Urahara explained with a gentle wave of his hand.

"Ah, we've got company," Mayuri commented. They could hear the loud squeal of car brakes followed by the slamming of a door. A sweaty, pale, out of breath woman ran into the broken down warehouse, jumping on and over several blocks of cement and wooden beams. Her dark hair was plastered to her damp forehead and the fatigue in her eyes told everyone that she was nearly on the verge of passing out from physical and emotional exhaustion.

"Hisaki!" Rukia cried as she ran straight for Ichigo and the baby. All the men noted the certain level of crazy in Rukia's eyes as she got to Ichigo. She ripped Hisaki from Ichigo's arms and held him protectively in her arms. She turned from Ichigo, giving him only a view of her back as she began to walk away from him. "Ichigo! I will _NEVER_ FORGIVE YOU!" She whispered angrily. She was still panting and out of breath from the exertion of running.

Rukia clutched Hisaki to her chest as her violet eyes took in the crew of guests that had already arrived. Her eyes widen with immediate fear, gasping at the sight of Mayuri. "What…what are you doing here?" Rukia asked.

"Don't be afraid, Rukia. We're not here to harm Hisaki and we're not here to take him away from you," Urahara said, his eyebrows lifting with a warm smile.

"WHAT? Do you expect me to believe that, especially when he's here?" Rukia replied, referring to Mayuri's dark presence.

"Oh for the love of…" Mayuri protested, stopping himself from yelling the various profanities he had in his head. "I told you we should have contacted them sooner! Now the Commander Captain has brainwashed them into believing we're the bad guys!"

"Rukia, we want to explain everything to you and your friends. There has certainly been a lot of misunderstanding and half-truths thrown around, but we're running short on time and there are pressing matters at hand," Urahara explained. He snapped his fan closed and stuck it into a pocket of his pewter grey jacket. "Chad, I do believe you own a bar not too far from here? Would you be so kind as to host us?"

"What's wrong with your store?" Uryuu asked, confused. "And why has it been vacated?"

"Ah…yes, well we would like to remain as inconspicuous as possible. As you know, Soul Society is looking for us," Urahara said slowly, the left side of his lips curving into a sly smile. "I'd prefer for people to believe I'm on vacation."

"If you want to know everything, you'll keep quiet. We don't want Soul Society interfering," Mayuri added, waving his long fingernails at the sky with irritation. Outside, a car's engine roared to a stop letting everyone know that the rest of the gang had arrived.

"Ah! That must be our other guests," Shinji commented to Urahara.

"Right on time," the blonde man replied. "Anyways…Chad?"

Chad turned to Ichigo looking for confirmation that it was okay to go ahead with Urahara's request. Ichigo gave a loud frustrated sigh, ran a hand through his crop of orange hair, and then nodded reluctantly.

"Alright," Chad said and then turned to Uryuu. "Let's go meet Orihime and Tatsuki outside and tell them the news."

"I suppose," Uryuu said. "I need to get out of this get-up then," he said dryly, referring to his Quincy uniform.

"Rukia?" Renji asked, looking to her for answers on how to proceed. Renji looked the most beat up out of all four men, his shinigami uniform tattered and his face covered in blood and dirt.

"I guess…it doesn't seem like we really have a choice," Rukia replied warily. "We've got a few little details to work out though…I made a bit of a mess downtown..." She said, thinking of the car she had stolen and the damage she had done to the city's downtown district.

"I'll take care of that for you guys," Shinji said smoothly. "And I'll meet you there later. I already know the story Urahara and Mayuri are going to tell anyways," he added, giving Rukia a wink. Ichigo could see his wife recoil with embarrassment.

"Alright, we'll meet at Chad's," Ichigo muttered.

* * *

The bar was dark as night when Chad stepped onto its threshold. It had been closed on and off for the past few days so randomly that it drove away customers even when the bar was open. Chad tried his best to not think about how badly his business was doing, despite how much the bar meant to him. He had built the business from the ground up and had put every cent in his pocket into the investment. It brought him more joy and pride than anything he had ever accomplished, short of being able to protect his friends. He tried to remind himself over and over again how important his friendships were to him; it helped him deal with the painful idea of his business sinking.

He flipped on the lights and the bar illuminated with a warm orange glow. Christmas lights turned on right away, flickering with various colors. The tree was immaculate as ever, silver ornaments shining and tinsel shimmering.

"I like what you've done with the place, Chad," Urahara commented casually as he followed Chad into the bar. The taller brawny man merely grunted in acknowledgment. Urahara could feel the unhappiness and reluctance in every single one of the young adults in front of him. Ichigo and Rukia looked exhausted. Renji, Uryuu, and Tatsuki looked pissed, and Chad and Orihime seemed distraught. The Espada had joined them as well; Nel, Starrk, and Ulquiorra filed in after everyone else. They had all congregated outside of the bar as they waited for Chad; since then the Espada had not said a word. Along with their silence, their faces had turned as unreadable as ever. It was a skill they had all cultivated over the years as a coping mechanism for dealing with unfamiliar human emotions.

"Tell us what's going on, Urahara," Ichigo commanded simply. He had no patience for platitude and small talk at this point.

"I suppose there's no reason not to right now," Urahara replied, his casual smile disappearing as if it had never existed. From the shadow of his hat, his pale eyes shone with distress for the slightest second. He waited as everyone found a seat and fixed their attention on him. He noted that the Espada all sat together, while Orihime, Uryuu and Tatsuki sat with Ichigo. Off in another corner, Rukia and Renji sat together with Hisaki quietly sleeping in his mother's arms. Chad had disappeared behind the bar and into the back room before he reemerged.

"You said the sleeping spell would wear off soon, right?" Rukia asked, still sounding anxious.

"Yes, he will wake in about an hour and a half," Urahara answered.

"Can I get anyone a drink?" Chad asked, always playing the host when he was in his bar. Everyone gave their orders to him while Urahara settled onto one of the stools in front of the bar counter. Mayuri refused to take a seat, instead choosing to stand next to Urahara with his arms folded in front of his chest.

"Let's just get started! We don't need drinks!" Mayuri snapped.

"I think the drinks will help everyone relax while we explain everything," Urahara countered.

"I have some green tea?" Chad suggested to Mayuri.

"Okay, fine!" Mayuri muttered.

"Thank you, Chad," Urahara said politely before he turned his attention to the rest of the room. "Alright, what you heard is correct, there is indeed a new hōgyoku." There was the obligatory gasp from the entire crowd at this confirmation. Urahara ignored it as he continued, "It was created by Szayel. He's been working on it for quite some time in private. Eventually when Mayuri and his lab found out, they began to exchange information on the progress."

"Why do you need another hōgyoku to begin with?" Renji asked, disapprovingly. "Wasn't what Aizen did enough?" His sharp glare was directly focused on Mayuri.

"Oh please, as if I have any interest in repeating another silly man's mistakes," Mayuri snapped back. "I was only interested in the science of what Szayel was doing."

"But…the hōgyoku was used to create arrancars…and…" Uryuu said, trailing off as he glanced briefly at Ichigo.

"You have to remember the original intent when I was first starting conceiving of the hōgyoku," Urahara explained. "After what Aizen did to Shinji and his friends, I devoted a great amount of time to trying to find a cure. We were unable to do that, as you all know; we were only able to help them learn how to control their inner hollow. But...what I failed in doing, Szayel has accomplished."

"You're giving him far too much credit. He got it nearly right. He sought a way to escape his human body and return to his former self. By the time Kisuke and I found out about what Szayel was really doing, it was already too late. He tested the hōgyoku on himself, hoping that it would reverse the process of his sentencing. Unfortunately, that's not what happened," Mayuri said.

"The original two hōgyokus were able to manifest the desires of whoever possessed them. But there was no way to really control or predict what it would do. Szayel wanted to be able to control the hōgyoku by forcing it to take on the desire you tell it. It still works in a similar way as before, allowing the line between shinigami and hollows to be erased, thus having the ability to manipulate shinigami and hollow abilities. But, what is most noticeably different about this hōgyoku is that it can also erase those abilities as well," Urahara said.

"Szayel made a couple of fatal mistakes which led to his hōgyoku completely destroying his soul," Urahara continued. He glanced briefly at the three Espada in the room, looking for a reaction from them. The three Espada did not so much as bat an eyelash in response. Their faces remained blank yet guarded. Urahara had been aware that the death of Szayel had shaken up the lives of the remaining Espada, but he could not deduce the nature of that concern− whether their reactions were altruistic grief or self-preserving fear.

"Kisuke and I looked over Szayel's notes, and after tweaking his formula we were able to stabilize it," Mayuri told them.

"What does that mean? Stabilize it?" Ichigo asked, knitting his brow with concern.

"We believe it is in a state right now that is receptive to taking on a person's desires. According to Szayel's formula, this hōgyoku is capable of reversing the hollowfication," Urahara said in a low and steady voice. He knew that this particular part would come as the ultimate shock to everyone.

Indeed, it struck every single person in the room right in the heart.

After a quiet thoughtful moment, Starrk slammed his glass of water down on the table, startling everyone, and stood up. His dark eyebrows were furrowed with emotion now. "What do you mean reverse?" he asked as he ran a hand through his dark mangled hair.

"In the case of arrancars, it has the ability to purify your souls," Mayuri said.

"So their souls can move onto Soul Society, right?" Tatsuki said, remembering her conversation earlier that day with Starrk.

"It can take away my hollow powers?" Ichigo said, his brown eyes wide with shock.

"It can take away any power that manifested as a result of being around hollows or those with irregular reiatsu," Urahara clarified, turning and giving Orihime and Chad a meaning look.

The room continued to be quiet as everyone processed the news. It seemed no knew exactly what to say. The silence in the room became thick as each person tried to understand how it would affect them. How would it change their lives?

"How do you know it will work?" Uryuu finally asked.

"You never know with these things," Mayuri said disdainfully. "But we are statistically certain, according to our calculations."

"What happens after?" Rukia asked in a soft and shaky voice. "…To the hōgyoku, I mean. What happens after it destabilizes? Will you be able to destroy it?"

"It is barely being held together now since it can only feed on the desires given to it. We _believe_ it will disintegrate very soon since we are not feeding it anyone's desires," Urahara said, finding himself having to fake a bit more confidence in his statements than he had planned.

"How would it work? …with us that is?" Nel asked quietly, biting her lip as her nervous emotions began to show.

"We would assume that using the hōgyoku on you would cause you to die like any other human does, and then your souls would have the ability to move onto Soul Society. It would strip your souls of any hollow or shinigami reiatsu it has left. Where you go is a bit uncertain, it will depend on how your souls have lived during this time of being human. It could also depend on how you've lived in your previous lives. It's very possible your soul may not go to Soul Society, but instead go to other darker places," Urahara said, clearing his throat. He felt a bit adverse to using the word 'hell.'

"But it's possible? You're telling us that we can move on? We can finally find…peace," Starrk said. He was still standing, now feeling too anxious to sit. He had his hands on his hips as he began to pace back and forth next to the table Nel and Ulquiorra were sitting at.

"What if...we don't use it...?" Ulquiorra asked, his voice low and distant sounding. His syllables were distinct and the pauses between his words long, as if he were asking himself and not the two scientists.

"That's your choice," Mayuri shrugged. "If I were you, I'd want to find out though."

"Your souls may never find peace if you choose to remain as you are. We know no other way of purifying an arrancar soul. If you choose to pass on this opportunity, your souls will be released from these human bodies after you've lived out your sentence, but there's no guarantee what will happen to you then. Your souls are still that of arrancars, evolved hollows. Best case scenario, you return to your old life in Hueco Mundo as hollows again. You could also end up hollows tied to earth, unable to move on to Soul Society. And since there are no soul burials for arrancars, that may be an eternity," Urahara replied reluctantly.

"So you have to choose?" Tatsuki said, her face full of concern. "_Everyone has to choose?_"

"That seems like an impossible task," Ichigo said. His voice sounded faint and disbelieving.

"You would leave this world? Would you really to do that?" Orihime asked in a high tone. Her large grey eyes darkened as she stared straight at Ulquiorra from across the room. Ulquiorra met her gaze, his green eyes shimmering in the soft light, but his lips remained pursed and closed, his despondent face framed by his frowning thick eyebrows. There were no signals of reassurance from him.

"That does sound like a very hard task…choosing what to do," Chad said, thinking to himself about his ability to protect his friends, even if it was with powers achieved through undesirable ways.

"_It's a simple choice_," A loud booming voice declared as the front door slammed open. Eyes went straight to the entrance as they all gasped at who now stood there. Framed by the evening and street lights behind them, Grimmjow and Nnoitra stood next to Shinji.

"I brought friends," Shinji said dryly as he breezed in past the two Espada. He took off his light grey blazer as he whistled to himself. His yellow tie flopped around as he turned to Rukia and the baby. "Rukia, you sure caused a mess downtown! It took forever for me to clean that all up."

"Oh...sorry...I mean, thank you…" Rukia whispered, embarrassed and unable to say anything else. She barely knew this man and did not know to act around him. Shinji started to make his way to the bar but paused and looked at the pale young woman once more with sympathetic eyes.

"No problem," he replied simply.

"Nnoitra…" Nel said. An empty moment of emotion waited to be filled as all the Espada tried to figure out how to react.

"Oh…my…god, I've been so worried," Nel whispered, her eyes filling with tears. She stared at Grimmjow and Nnoitra for another silent second before jumping up with such force that she nearly knocked over her chair. She ran to the other two Espada, pausing only briefly to decide to hug Grimmjow first before turning to Nnoitra and staring him straight in the eyes. The room was awkwardly quiet as everyone watched the Espada reunion. Nel took one final deep breath before closing her wet eyes and hugging Nnoitra. His face was flat and disinterested, but his dark eyes told the world of his intense emotions. He wrapped his long thin arms around Nel, letting her cry into his chest.

On the other side of the room, Starrk watched their reunion with cold grey eyes. Grimmjow looked at Starrk and then back at the reuniting couple and then decided to say hello to his friend in a weak attempt to distract him from getting even more upset. He jumped down the couple of stairs at the threshold of the bar before two long steps took him to where Starrk was standing.

"Starrk," Grimmjow said in greeting. The two men shook hands with as much solemnity and respect as possible for a male friendship.

"Grimmjow," Starrk replied, his voice sounding gruff and uncomfortable as he tried not to keep watching Nel and Nnoitra. "Glad to see you're not dead."

Grimmjow didn't reply; he merely turned around and gave Ulquiorra a nod of a greeting before he sauntered over to the bar and hopped onto one of the stools. "Is this a real bar or what? Can I get a cold beer here?"

Chad grunted as he stepped over to the bar and poured Grimmjow a drink from the beer on tap. Ulquiorra did not respond to Grimmjow's acknowledgment nor did he seem interested in watching the Nel/Nnoitra reunion. Instead, Ulquiorra's haunting green eyes were fixed on the floor, lost in his own thoughts.

"Gimme one too," Nnoitra demanded after letting go of Nel. He walked past her easily, forgetting her already as he headed to the bar. That was the way Nnoitra always was− his feelings for Nel being so intense but so fleeting at the same time, like a flickering light bulb that could not be fixed. Nevertheless, Nel was always waiting and always hoping. She stood still helplessly and watched him leave her for a simple drink at the bar.

"Can we please get back to business?" Mayuri shouted with impatient irritation. He scowled at Chad for shuffling around and getting everyone drinks as if this were some happy hour party.

"We have briefed Grimmjow and Nnoitra about all this already," Urahara pointed out.

"What? When?" Nel asked, frowning as she returned to her seat. She gave Starrk a brief glance, but he had his back turned to her, uninterested in having a silent resentful argument with her.

"Some time ago," Urahara dismissed with a casual wave of a hand.

"He approached me a while back in New York," Grimmjow grumbled, taking a long deep gulp of his ice cold beer. He made a loud smacking noise with lips in appreciate of the refreshing drink.

"Back to the point!" Mayuri snapped. "For god's sake, this is why you never get anything done, Kisuke. You waste too much time with idle chit chat. I've got other things to get to you know."

"Alright, you explain the rest then," Urahara replied lightly. He knew that managing such a large crowd would be next to impossible. He chose instead to turn his attention to his drink, which up until now he had not touch.

"As you all know, this is all very illegal," Mayuri explained, his voice taking on a stern authoritative tone. "I had to go through quite a lot of hassle to keep this from leaking to the other Captains and the Commander. It was no easy feat and, as you know, they began to suspect that I had started another hōgyoku project. We were able to lead them to believe that our interest was in the Kurosaki baby and not in the Espada, but we need to maintain that cover."

"How are you going to do that?" Ichigo asked, dumbfounded.

"You continue as you were doing, pretending to be very concerned about Mayuri kidnapping your baby. I have taken care of the three day limit by having Nemu send some new fake information to the Commander. He will believe that we've retreated to Hueco Mundo after a deadly fight with Nemu and the stealth force. Nemu will tell them we are trapped there until the hōgyoku awakens. The time she gave them is the same estimate we've got for how long the hōgyoku will be stable."

"Stealth force?" Uryuu asked randomly, confused.

"She is the Captain of the Second Division now. Soi Fon was promoted to the Royal Guard," Urahara explained.

A chorus of "Oooohhhs," and "Wooowwws" came from the crowd who was familiar with the hierarchy of Soul Society.

"My how the times change…" Renji, who had been quiet up until now, muttered.

"Thank god I was finally able to get rid of that useless girl!" Mayuri complained. "She was nothing but a pain in the ass, dumber than rocks. I've got a much better prototype in the works right now. Her name is _Memu_!"

"How original," Rukia muttered sarcastically. Mayuri shot the girl an angry look and was about to give her a piece of his mind when he was cut off by Nel.

"Why did you approach Grimmjow and Nnoitra and not any of us?" Nel asked, referring to herself, Starrk, and Ulquiorra.

"Based on the intel I've received from Nemu, they seemed the most agreeable when it came to letting us experiment on them with the hōgyoku," Urahara explained, shrugging. "But then we realized what little time we had left, so we decided it was time to just let everyone know." He paused for a moment before turning his silvery-blue eyes on all the Espada. "You may never have another opportunity like this..."

"It's simple, Nel. We all do it," Grimmjow said with severe finality.

"And what if things go wrong?" Uryuu asked, giving Grimmjow a skeptical look. Mayuri seemed to not understand the question since he frowned and stared at Uryuu with blank eyes. "What if the hōgyoku does not behave as you believe? Could it not cause more harm than good?"

"My dear _boy_," Mayuri began, his voice thick with sarcasm. "That is the nature of science. Gather information, test your hypothesis, report your outcomes, reject or accept the null hypothesis."

"One can never be 100% sure," Urahara cut in, his voice sounding gentler. "I was not entirely sure I could get you guys to Hueco Mundo that one time, but I managed to somehow. Part of it is science, as Mayuri said, but the other part is about knowing what you want your life to be and what you value the most. Once you have that figured out, it gets easy; you just have to take a leap of faith. "

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Tadaaaa! Hope you enjoyed it. As always, I love reviews so keep 'em coming ;) and comments and music over at my livejournal: mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com. See you next time!


	22. Chapter 22: The Choice

**Welcome back! I know it's only been like...a year. You can go to my livejournal to read about what I've been up to. Anyways, I sat on this chapter for months. It's got kinks in it, but I hope you guys still enjoy it. Thank you to everyone who has returned to follow this story to the end. We've only got a few chapters left!**

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**Chapter 22: The Choice**

It was cold in the downtown district of the city. Ulquiorra walked briskly up the sidewalk with his hands stuck in his coat pocket. The occasional gust of wind was able to penetrate the thick wool layers of his peacoat, causing him to shiver and glower at the winter weather− _two and a half months left of this_. How anyone dealt with this kind of bitter cold each winter, year after year, was beyond his comprehension. For now though, Ulquiorra stiffened his broad shoulders and pressed onward away from the downtown district and toward the open street in front of him. He had to go. He had to face it. He had followed one of the side streets that jutted off from the main boulevard of town. It would lead eventually to an old rusty bridge that was just wide enough for two lanes of traffic. Two narrow strips of sidewalk banked each side of the street.

As he approached the bridge, a tight ball of fear started to form in his chest. The sound of the rushing water and the view of the dark bridge loomed like a portal to his most frightening nightmare. Yet, after taking a shaky deep breath, Ulquiorra pushed forward. His feet felt like lead and his skin was numb from the wind. This river, this bridge, this whole place seemed familiar. The strength of the _deja-vu_ feeling overwhelmed him, and he felt dizzy enough that he needed to grab the bridge's metal railing. His breath quickened- shallow and rasping as he closed his eyes.

He hadn't thought of her for years, and yet it was so easy for the memories to resurface after Nel's reminder the other day. The recent events also somehow managed to conjure up her face. Ulquiorra turned and looked at the river, watching how it rushed down past vacant warehouses and naked trees. He knew that eventually the river would meet up with the ocean, dumping all its contents into the black-blue abyss. He gripped the railing in from of him, hoping it would keep him from falling into the past.

It wasn't just Emily's memory that was haunting him. It was another bridge, another night, another woman that echoed in his brain. This bridge, this town, the spirits that haunted the streets were familiar and connected to his past. How they were connected to his history with Emily was unknown. The memories were only shadows that Ulquiorra couldn't make out. He stared down at the river. The water below him continued to rush on, crashing and breaking angrily, indifferent to Ulquiorra's existence.

* * *

She had been standing in front of Ulquiorra's front door for nearly twenty-five minutes knocking intermittently, first softly and then more loudly. Nobody came to the door. It was dead silent. Finally she spied the little doorbell hidden underneath a lingering patch of snow and ice. She pressed the button several times with frustration, waiting about thirty-seconds, and shivering in the morning cold. Silence continued until she was finally ready to give up. Orihime turned around with another deep sigh and started to walk back to her car.

Just when she was almost halfway down the driveway, she heard a cough coming from the back of the house. _Is someone hiding back there? _Orihime wondered as she stomped over the crunch of the snow and dead grass surrounding Ulquiorra's house

Orihime walked around the side of the house, passing the large windows that reflected the gloomy grey clouds. Ulquiorra's house clung to the cliffs overlooking the ocean, and today the sea was angry as ever, smashing loudly against the dark rocks like cracks of thunder. Light snowflakes sprinkled down, melting and disappearing before they even hit the ground. The wind was sharp and bitter against Orihime' s pink cheeks.

When she finally had made her way to the back of the house, she surveyed the landscape. The beauty and power of the scenery was so overwhelming that she almost missed the patch of bright blue hair below her. She stepped forward closer to edge of the backyard patio and was finally able to see Grimmjow below the ridge of the house's foundation. She almost wanted to shout out a greeting, but the wind was so loud she knew he'd probably not hear her.

She crossed her arms around her chest, shivering as she made her way down the stairs towards the platform Grimmjow was standing on. Previous snow fall had covered these tracks and Orihime hadn't even been aware that there was a way to get down to the beach from Ulquiorra's backyard. Now Orihime could see how strips of concrete stairs zigzagged their way across the sharp drop from the mountainous cliffs until they disappeared into brown sand and black rocks by the beach.

Grimmjow stood on one of the concrete platforms midway along an intricate pathway that led down to the beach. As she got closer, Orihime could see he was wearing jeans and a leather jacket with fur lining that peaked out around the collar. His back was to her as he leaned against a metal railing that protected him from tumbling down into the rocks. Smoke blew from Grimmjow' s hidden face but Orihime wasn't sure if it was just his hot breath against the cold air or if he was smoking a cigarette.

Halfway down the stairs she nearly slipped on a large patch of ice and she reached out immediately, grabbing the cold railing next to her with her left hand. Apparently there were still traces of the snow in the form of dangerous patches of ice. It was a harsh reminder for her to slow down, especially on such steep and perilous stairs.

If Grimmjow had heard her approaching, he gave no indication of it. He continued to lean against the black railing with his elbows, his shoulders hunched over, with a foot resting on the bottom rung of the railing. Orihime could see the almost finished cigarette hanging from the side of his mouth as she walked up to him.

"Good morning," Orihime greeted warmly as she approached him.

"…Morning," Grimmjow murmured, keeping his sharp blue eyes fixed on the ocean horizon ahead of him. Orihime took a deep breath as she crossed her arms around her chest to keep herself warm. Her coat was doing a terrible job of keeping the bite of the cold out.

"Some kind of weather, huh?" She commented conversationally as her eyes also searched the ocean horizon.

"Mmmhmm," he mumbled, reaching up to take a slow long drag from his cigarette. Despite the overcast sky, the day seemed bright with the kind of blinding light that came from clouds that enhanced the sun's rays as opposed to blocking them. These clouds filtered the yellow warmth of the sun and turned them into cool blue-greys. Grimmjow kept his eyes squinted, as if lost in deep thought or irritated by the overpowering cloud-covered daylight.

"Where did everyone go?" Orihime asked as she leaned against the railing in a similar manner.

"Nnoitra and Nel went for a walk," Grimmjow replied plainly.

"Nel? When did she get here?" Orihime asked nervously. Despite everything that had just happened the day before, memories of the terse words exchanged between her and Nel at the party rushed through Orihime's mind. She knew that Grimmjow and Nnoitra crashed at Ulquiorra's last night- it was the reason why she had slept in her own bed by herself. Ulquiorra was quiet and distant enough after the major events to seem to need the space, and Orihime didn't want to intrude on the Espada reunion.

Grimmjow shrugged but said nothing.

"Where's Ulquiorra?" Orihime prompted when it seemed like Grimmjow wasn't going to offer any information on him.

"How the hell should I know?" Grimmjow muttered indifferently.

"Uhm…well I just figured since you stayed at his house last night that you might have seen him this morning or something. Maybe he told you where he was going or when he'd be back?" She asked, exercising her infamous patience by ignoring his rude tone.

Grimmjow didn't reply, he merely shrugged as he kept his gaze averted from her. They stood there silent for a moment, except for the whistling of the winds. Snowflakes pounded into Orihime's face and she realized that it wasn't snow that was falling, it was ice.

"Did you have any breakfast?" Orihime asked, trying her best to stay nice even though Grimmjow clearly wasn't interested in exchanging any pleasantries.

"I ate whatever Ulquiorra had in the kitchen," he said plainly as he finished his cigarette. He whipped it from his mouth and threw it down into the rocks below. It disappeared immediately amongst the blowing ice. Orihime waited quietly until he finally spoke of his own volition.

"This weather sucks," Grimmjow said bitterly.

"Haha, I know…that's what everyone says when they visit. Why are you out here by the beach then? It's even windier near the ocean," Orihime asked, feeling glad that he seemed to finally have something to say other than just replying to her questions.

Grimmjow shrugged again as he continued to survey the landscape. Again he said nothing.

Orihime sighed.

"You really have no idea where Ulquiorra went?" Orihime asked, her voice revealing the slightest hint of anxiety. Grimmjow finally looked at her, without moving his profile his eyes slid to the side and glanced at her briefly.

"Chill out, girl. He'll probably be back sometime soon," Grimmjow muttered, shaking his head. "You chicks always seem to want a tracking device on your men."

Orihime blinked.

"Well can you blame me?" Orihime replied calmly. "After what happened yesterday and all?"

Grimmjow could detect the slight hysteria running underneath her dulcet tones.

"Seriously, chill out. Urahara can only use that glowing orb thing once, so he needs to wait until we've all made our decision before he uses it. It's not like your man's already decided and left for Soul Society or something," Grimmjow said, reaching into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulling out a pack of cigarettes. He pulled out a fresh one, sticking it in his mouth, holding it with his lips as he searched his side pockets for his lighter.

"He wouldn't do that," Orihime murmured, feeling chastised. "He wouldn't leave without telling me. He wouldn't make this decision without me." She felt like she was confirming these things to herself more-so than telling Grimmjow.

"It's not like it will affect you," Grimmjow murmured indifferently.

"That's not true," Orihime scowled. "I care about Ulquiorra a lot- of course it will affect me."

Grimmjow paused a moment and glanced at Orihime. His cold stare was fixed on her long enough to make her want to squirm before he returned to his task of fishing for his lighter.

"Hmm, you _would_…" Grimmjow said underneath his breath sarcastically.

"I would what?" Orihime asked with the slightest sound of irritation.

"You would make this about you," he scoffed with disgust.

"That's not fair!" Orihime began to protest before he cut her off.

"Listen, girl ….this really has nothing to do with you. This is a decision he needs to make on his own, so leave him the fuck alone, will ya?" Grimmjow growled in a low tone as he finally pulled out his lighter. He cupped his hands around his mouth, blocking out the winds as he desperately tried to light his cigarette.

"How can you say that? How can you say it has nothing to do with me?" Orihime cried, the hurt in her voice brazenly apparent.

"Jesus…" Grimmjow swore, rolling his eyes as he finally was able to light the end of his cigarette. He slipped the lighter back into his pocket as he took a long drag from the fresh cigarette. "This is about him and his life. Don't confuse him with all your girl drama."

"I care about him…"

"Yeah, yeah, blah blah, everyone knows," Grimmjow dismissed as he exhaled a large plume of smoke. "Don't make this all about _you_."

Orihime blinked, suddenly quieted. Somehow, Grimmjow had managed to make her feel selfish. "I don't know what you mean…" Orihime whispered.

Grimmjow glowered at her as he continued to smoke his cigarette.

"Jesus Christ, you have no fucking clue, do you?" Grimmjow muttered, sounding disgusted.

"No, I don't understand…" Orihime admitted honestly. "Why don't you try explaining it to me instead of just being condescending?" She asked calmly. Grimmjow sighed loudly, releasing a large puff of smoke into the air. The winds pushed the smell of the smoke into Orihime face, causing her to almost choke.

"Gee…let's see…" he began sardonically. He stopped leaning on the railing and stood up straight, keeping one hand on the railing as the other held his cigarette. "You're a doctor aren'tcha?"

"…Yeah?"

"When someone is asked to donate an organ, like part of their liver or a kidney, are you allowed to try to convince them to do or not do it?" He asked, shifting his weight so he could face her.

"No, definitely not, it would violate ethics…" Orihime said hesitantly, giving Grimmjow a wary look.

"And why is that?" Grimmjow asked, using the patronizing tone of an adult speaking to a child.

"Because…it's such an important decision…" Orihime muttered, halfway speaking only to herself. "Because the value of a human organ is so priceless…"

"Bingo," Grimmjow said dryly. "You can't try to convince someone to donate an organ and you can't try to convince Ulquiorra to stay."

Orihime blinked several times, partially to keep the specks of ice and snow from getting into her eyes but also as a way of clearing her head as she processed Grimmjow's words. Could it be? How had she not seen it? This was the ultimate decision for Ulquiorra, for Grimmjow, for all of them, and Orihime was only thinking about herself.

"Well…" Orihime started thoughtfully as she reached down to grip the cold railing in front of her. "I've always known that it's his choice, not mine…I know the value of a soul is priceless and it can't be swayed…but I guess I just thought I would be a part of the decision."

"You think about yourself too much," Grimmjow muttered. Orihime glanced at the blue-haired man with a raised eyebrow.

"And what about you? I take it you've clearly made your decision? No changing your mind?" Orihime asked.

"The decision was already made for me before any of this began," he said quietly as his eyes strayed to the angry seas. The sarcasm and condescending amusement disappeared from his eyes and was replaced with resigned sadness.

"What do you mean?" Orihime inquired. "I thought you said no one else could make the decision but you. Who made it for you?"

"I don't mean it like that," Grimmjow snapped, but softened his tone when he caught her gaze and realized how harsh he was being. He took a deep breath to steady himself. His cigarette had almost burnt itself to a finish. "I was finished with this life before it even started," he murmured bitterly.

The sad look on Grimmjow's face tugged at Orihime's heart. He looked tired, haunted, and resigned; but the despondence did not come from self-pity. Orihime could see that there was something else bothering him. It took her a moment, but she was slowing starting to understand the things Grimmjow left unsaid. She could see that he was sad about the fact that Ulquiorra would have to make the decision− the fact that, for Ulquiorra, there was still a decision to be made. There was still a choice. He came here to support Ulquiorra in his decision-making. He came here because he cared about his fellow Espada.

"For what it's worth," Grimmjow stated, startling Orihime out of her thoughts. "He cares about you. We can all see that," Grimmjow said, flicking his cigarette down to the ground and stepping on it with a back scuffed-up shoe. Orihime tilted her head to the side as she observed the blue-haired man.

"…Thank you," Orihime murmured− it was all she think of to say. She turned around and started back up the stairs.

"He went to his office," Grimmjow said, raising his voice just slightly enough so his words could carry over the wind.

"What did you say?" Orihime called out, not quite hearing him. The blue-haired man stuck his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and turned around, giving Orihime one last glance.

"His office, he went to his office to work this morning. He didn't want me to tell you," Grimmjow said.

"Oh…thank you," Orihime said, giving him a small smile. Grimmjow seemed to scrutinize her for just a split second, his eyes narrowing a bit, before he simply gave her nod. She watched him as he turned away before she walked up the stairs leaving the sea, the beach, the rocks, and Grimmjow behind.

* * *

Nel shivered as she stuffed her fists into the deep pockets of her bright yellow coat. Her brown and white thick scarf was wrapped several times around her neck and she wore a felted-wool bucket hat she had borrowed from Rukia. Despite the several layers of clothing she wore to keep warm, she could still feel the cold seeping into her bones. Snowflakes landed on her thick lashes and she quickly batted them away, annoyed with the wind that kept blowing the sharp pieces of ice into her face.

"I can't believe you're not freezing your butt off like I am," she commented lightly as she strolled along the beach. They were far enough from the tide to keep from getting wet, but every so often Nel felt the spray of salt water as the waves crashed against the rocks. The sand beneath her boots was wet, brown, and uneven- hardly the kind of terrain one would want to leisurely wander upon but Nnoitra wanted to go for a walk so Nel followed him. After they made their way down to the beach from Ulquiorra's house they just kept walking. They had to have been walking for at least three miles by now and the house and its cliffs were starting to disappear behind them.

"I don't feel anything," Nnoitra said. He wore fewer layers than Nel, opting for a dark green military coat that was only buttoned partway. It was odd he knew…that in the middle of this stirring storm he could feel so still inside. For so long, there had been something screaming inside his mind and heart. It was relentless and he tried desperately to get it out through his music, but he always failed. Not anymore though; not since he had met up with Grimmjow and Urahara. He was an empty shell and it was quiet inside his chest.

"What do you think Ulqui will do?" Nel wondered out loud. "Do you think he'll choose to go or stay?" She tilted her head as she watched Nnoitra move effortlessly against the wind.

"Who the fuck knows," Nnoitra said blandly, with the slightest hint of disgust in his voice.

"Don't say it like that," Nel chastised patiently. "I worry about him."

"He can be so weak. This isn't that hard." Nnoitra muttered. "You shouldn't pander to his indecisiveness."

"I'm not pandering…I would never pander," Nel scoffed. "Besides, it is a hard decision. Just because it wasn't hard for you doesn't mean it won't be hard for the rest of us."

Nnoitra didn't reply. He held his head high, his sharp chin tilted upward toward the sky. His dark hair whipped around him as he pushed onward against the weather. He kept his hands in his pocket and a good deal of distance between himself and Nel. It was important that he kept his distance. The cold insulated him from her warmth, her influence. Her guilt would not work on him. She would not change his mind.

"If he stays, he shouldn't stay because of Orihime," Nel continued. "That would be a problem."

"Who cares what the reason is for his staying or going?"

"I care," Nel replied simply.

"No, you don't," Nnoitra said plainly, his voice sharp yet uninterested at the same time. He glanced at her quickly and caught a glimpse of her beauty: the rose of her cheeks, the sparkle in her hazel eyes, the way her hair fell in soft waves. Something inside him bit hard on his heart; he couldn't help it, it was so automatic. Without being able to stop himself, he wavered, "…At least you don't care as much as you think you do."

Nel looked up at his skinny and tall frame, surprised by the insightful comment.

"You're distracting yourself," Nnoitra said almost angrily. "You don't want to think about yourself, so you're fixating on him. It's _his_ choice, Nelliel- not yours."

Nel frowned, her lips thinning with distress. It wouldn't be long before she turned those tempting lips into a full-on pout and he simply could not stand to see it.

"I don't care what you decide," he spat plainly. There was no need to beat around the bush. It was the reason why she came to see him so early and wanted to talk. She wanted to change his mind. She wanted him to change her mind. "Whatever you decide, I'm going. I'm done."

Anyone else would have flinched at Nnoitra's harsh words, but Nel was so used his mannerisms that she only blinked once in response.

"How can it be so easy for you?" Nel asked despite knowing the answer. She, more than anyone, knew how miserable being a human was for Nnoitra. She knew that he craved death more than anything else. It was the reason why he could never love her, at least not the way she wanted and needed him to. He would always want death more than he wanted her.

Nnoitra raised his thin eyebrows slightly as if he were on the verge of considering her question before he rolled his eyes and dismissed the simple question. After an extended silence, Nel suddenly stopped walking.

"If you go, and I stay…we won't be together anymore," she whispered, her voice quivering. He could hardly hear her. Nnoitra continued walking for several paces before he sighed and turned around to face her. Behind them, waves crashed loudly into nearby rocks.

He watched her without responding, blinking slowly as if he were in a dream. This scenery, the hurt in her eyes, the tightness in his chest- he wanted to remember this. He wanted to take this moment with him into the other world. There was always something so poetic about Nel…maybe it had to do with the way the wind always lifted her hair up so perfectly around her, or the way the sea air made her skin look brighter, luminescent. His stomach twisted into knots as he tried to choke down his response. He couldn't stop the words from coming out of his mouth.

"We might still be together," he blurted, immediately regretting the sentimentality of his words. He disgusted himself sometimes.

Nel's heart almost melted. Her lips curved slightly upward as she looked down at her boots, now covered in brown wet sand. Not looking at Nnoitra gave her a moment to think, to process the true meaning behind his words. It was what she wanted to hear yet she dreaded it at the same time. Now, she knew. Now, she had to decide. A heavy weight fell onto her shoulders and she took a deep breath of the ocean air to try to settle her nerves. She looked up at him and started walking toward him, closing the distance between them.

Nnoitra held his breath and kept as still as possible. He closed his eyes. He could feel her approaching; it was like walking up to a flame.

He was so tall; Nel had to tilt her head back in order to look at him. The lines on his face were tense with anger, and when he finally opened his eyes he pinned her with his stare, a stare that was challenging and resentful at the same time. Nel exhaled deeply as she felt the emotions resonating between them.

Her hot breath floated across his skin, enticing him. He couldn't help but move his face just an inch closer to hers. She stared at him with glassy eyes. When she spoke, her voice was level and serious.

"I know I can't ask you to stay," she stated quietly. "I would never do that to you," she added quickly. Nel reached up, both of her hands hovering over his chest, afraid to touch him. Her shaky fingers finally brushed the collar of his coat but it was too late. Nnoitra took a step back, refusing to let her touch him.

"But, Nnoitra…" Nel began as she let him distance himself. Her voice became stronger. "I can't ask you to stay, but that means you need to ask me to go with you."

It was just a heartbeat's second before he replied.

"I won't do that," he said fiercely.

_He said won't, not can't_, Nel thought to herself. It was a choice. He was choosing not to ask her to go without despite having the ability to do so. He could, but he wouldn't. Nel's eyes turned to the ocean and its horizon, which in this weather was merely a fuzzy line between the grey of the clouds and the black of the ocean. Everything was grey; nothing could be black and white. She looked back Nnoitra. His anger seemed to be gone. It came and went so quickly, most of the time people didn't realize that anger didn't rule his world. He was not simmering with hate or vibrating with rage. No, he was as still as the eye of a hurricane. Whatever glimpse of emotion she had seen was now gone. He was colder than ice and snow. He was colder than this artic land. How could cruelty be so impossible to melt?

Nnoitra hid the shiver he felt underneath her steady stare. This conversation had gone too far. He was beginning to feel uncomfortable, and he couldn't stand that. His back stiffed and he narrowed his eyes as he rushed past her.

"We should get back," he stated and quickly disappeared behind Nel.

The wind carried the words back to her, but they were faint and she could only hear the pounding of her human heart. She didn't bother to turn around and watch him go.

* * *

Orihime knocked softly on Ulquiorra's office door and waited for a response. She heard a rustling sound and some footsteps before the door swung open and she was met with Ulquiorra's focused green eyes. He stared at her for a moment without saying anything, as if waiting for her to explain her presence.

"Hi…" Orihime began slowly. He was dressed like the professor that he was, in a black and white tweed jacket over a mustard colored sweater vest- the crisp white collar of his shirt a sharp contrast to the black tie he sported. Orihime blinked once, trying to maintain her calm as she forced a smile. He sighed softly in response and stepped back, allowing Orihime to walk into the room. She glanced over the cluttered office. She would have never believed the office belonged to Ulquiorra with its stacks of papers and dusty books. For some reason, she had always believed his office would look like the rest of his apartment, so neat and organized it appeared barren and cold. Instead, the office looked well-lived in, as if he had been working there for years.

"Can I get you some coffee?" He offered as he walked over to the leather-covered chair behind his desk. "I can't promise that it's fresh," he added dryly.

"No, I think I've had enough coffee for today," Orihime responded gently as she slid into the cold plastic chair that sat in front of the desk. Being forced to sit across from Ulquiorra with his large and imposing desk in between them made Orihime felt like a student who was here for disciplinary action.

"Well then, what can I help you with today?" He asked, leaning back into his chair.

"I'm not here for a doctor's appointment, I came to see you…and to talk to you about important things," Orihime declared, dropping her purse on the floor with a loud _thud!_ as if to say she was staying here for good whether he liked it or not. Ulquiorra merely raised an eyebrow at the dropping of the purse, but otherwise had no reaction.

"Are you sure you want to leave your purse on that floor? I'm pretty sure this floor hasn't been swept in the past decade," Ulquiorra commented wryly.

"This isn't a joke, Ulquiorra!" Orihime said firmly- she had come here with serious intentions.

"Oh, please excuse me. I hadn't realized that this hour had turned into an Oprah session. I thought this was my office where I do my _work_, but please do inform me of what I should be doing during this time," he bit back sarcastically. Despite his cool tone, his expression remained unflustered.

"Please don't get short with me, Ulquiorra," Orihime sighed exasperatedly. "We have some serious issues to talk about that you and I both know are time sensitive."

"If you're finally ready to talk about the proposal then I am more than prepared for this conversation."

"Are you? Because I think you're not going to like what I'm about to say."

"Why don't you just say it and I'll be the judge?"

"How can you even be bringing up the proposal still? When there are so many other issues to consider here?"

"Such as?"

Orihime's eyebrows shot up, her eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets in shock.

"What do you mean such as? How about the possibility that you might be able to go home finally? That you could be cleansed and return home to Soul Society."

Ulquiorra glanced down at his desk as he folded his hands in front of him.

"There is that…" he murmured quietly. Something in his tone made Orihime feel guilty, as if she had been too harsh somehow. He cleared his throat as his long elegant fingers shuffled through some papers that were lying on the desk. "We've been through this before. I'm well beyond redemption; in fact, I can hardly say I believe in it. This life is my punishment and I shall endure it until the day this human body dies."

"Then why do you want to get married? If this life is your punishment, why are you asking me to be a part of it?" Orihime asked, fighting back the urge to frown. Ulquiorra didn't answer at first; he glanced up at her with his clear green eyes as he contemplated her question.

"You are…in so many ways…" he began as he picked up a pencil and started twirling it in his fingers. "Being with you, sometimes, can be a punishment. You represent everything good in life: your innocence, your guilelessness, your mirth. You are pure light to me. Everything I am not. Everything I cannot be." He flicked his wrist, sending the pencil he had playing with flying across the room. "Being near you, having you, is the closest I'll ever get to redemption."

"Is that why you want to be with me? For your own redemption?" Orihime asked, raising an eyebrow. She fought hard to hide her confusion, hoping her expression conveyed mere inquiry and not dismay.

"No," Ulquiorra replied sharply. "Why must you assume the worst intentions?"

"Well your explanation would make sense…it would explain your behavior in New York."

"What do you mean?" Ulquiorra asked sitting up suddenly in his chair. Up until now, he had been slouched over, as if the conversation were a mere discussion of philosophy and not the dire state of their lives. "Orihime, if you have something to ask me, then ask me. I have never lied to you and I will not start now."

"Why did you force yourself on me? After I had said no?" Orihime's voice quivered. She took a deep breath, hoping to steady herself. She had practiced this question so many times. It needed to be asked. She could not move on without an answer.

Ulquiorra's eyes darken and Orihime noticed his shoulders becoming stiff.

"I…" he began reluctantly. "I…misbehaved…"

"You've got to have a better answer than that!"

"I'm sorry! I…thought I had apologized already," he stated firmly. He pushed himself away from his desk, his chair rolling back and hitting the wall of books behind him. Ulquiorra stood up swiftly and began to pace his office with his hands at his hips.

"I need more than an apology. I need an explanation and I need to know that it's not going to happen again," Orihime said in a level tone. Ulquiorra glanced over at her, his green eyes clashing with her grey ones.

"Amazing, for once you are being absolutely clear about what you want," Ulquiorra commented casually.

"What?" Orihime said, partially confused.

"It is refreshing…" He explained, but rolled his eyes when he realized she wasn't following his dry line. "Never mind."

"An explanation…"

"I know, I know," Ulquiorra interrupted. He sighed deeply and ran a hand through his tangled mass of dark hair. "I…took you into my life."

"What?" Orihime asked, unsure of the kind of explanation he was getting at.

"I took you into my life: my _personal _life. I took you to the city where I learned how to be human, how to feel feelings and how to form relationships with other humans. I introduced you to my _c-c-colleag_…._my friends_," he corrected himself through gritted teeth. "It was not easy for me to do all that, but I wanted to do it. I wanted you to be a part of my life so badly…even if it meant forcing it upon you. When I realized halfway through the night that you weren't interested or enjoying yourself…I got mad. The demon inside me wanted to force you to like the things I like. I do not understand what else happened to me, but something took over me and I could not stop myself from having you."

"Oh…" Orihime said as she exhaled. She was slowly taking in his explanation and it made sense to her in a way…but the memories of his body pressed down upon her flashed through her mind and suddenly she was back in the darkness again.

"I could not stop myself but then…you stopped me," he added in a low and moving tone. In three large steps he was suddenly by her side, reaching for her hands and pulling her up to stand in front of him. "You stopped me finally, with your words, your gentleness, your acceptance. All that is good in you came back to me and you stopped me. Do you not see? I need you." His large hands were dry and cold, but they felt comforting as they cocooned her smaller hands.

"It will not happen again?" She asked hesitantly. She knew instantly that she could not immediately accept whatever answer he gave.

"If you accept my proposal, you are accepting me as I am. I am a flawed being. I have demons that I am fighting constantly. But I would fight them for you." He lowered his head, bringing his face down closer to hers. She could feel his breath on her cheeks and could smell his tangy citrus scent. A sudden longing to snuggle right into his arms came over her, but she continued to fight the desire. There were still too many unanswered questions. _It's not enough_, she thought to herself.

"Who is Emily?" Orihime asked, shaking her head out of her lustful fog. She pulled her hands away from his. "I want to know who she was to you and what happened to her." He turned away from her to face his desk. She heard him sigh deeply as he braced himself on the desk with his arms.

"You want to know it all?"

"Yes," she replied gently.

"It's a long story."

"I've got time."

He waited before saying anything more. With his back to her, Orihime could not read his face. She couldn't know what he was thinking or feeling. She knew she had dug up an old grave but she had no idea the scope of the danger she was unveiling.

"Other than you, she was the only other person I have ever loved," he finally confessed as he moved over to the large windows of his office. He stood there quietly for a moment, folding his arms over his chest as he watched the sunset off in the distance.

"What happened to her?" Orihime asked carefully. He paused before responding.

"She died," he said in a rough whisper.

* * *

Tatsuki walked into Chad's bar looking for Ichigo. She had searched for him all afternoon, but had avoided Chad's bar even though it was one of the most obvious places to find Ichigo simply because she didn't want to risk running into Renji. As she glanced around the bar, she let out a deep breath of relief when she realized there were no tall and dashing men with red hair and tattoos all over his face. Reality set in as she stepped into the bar and realized Ichigo wasn't here either.

"So much fail…" she muttered to herself as she pulled her gloves off and stomped over to the bar. Chad came out from the back room just as she began seating herself.

"Arisawa," Chad said in greeting. He was carrying a large heavy crate of glassware, grunting as he heaved it onto the back counter of the bar.

"Hi Chad," Tatsuki chirped. "No one here to help out today?"

"Nope," the brawny man replied sadly. "I had to let a few of the bartenders go."

Tatsuki gasped, frowning with disapproval. "What? Why?"

"Business isn't going that great," Chad said simply, as if it were just a fact of life. "What can I get you to drink?"

"Ah…just whatever micro-brew you've got on tap," Tatsuki replied as she rested her elbows on the bar. "At least it's pretty quiet in here," she said as she looked around. Her eyes sparked when she noticed someone sitting at the very end of the bar in the shadowed area of the room. His mangled long dark brown hair hid his face and his body was slouched so much that Tatsuki could only see his shoulders.

Tatsuki lowered her voice as she took the mug of beer from Chad, "Is that…Starrk? What is he doing here?"

"Same thing you're doing," Chad said grimly. "I've got some more glasses to unload. Just give me a holler if anyone else comes in and needs service."

"I'll take care of them if anyone comes in," Tatsuki said quickly. "Don't worry about it."

"Really?" Chad's eyebrows raised just the slightest bit. "I had no idea you had bartending skills."

"Well I can pour beer and liquor," Tatsuki muttered with a scowl. "Obviously I'm not going to be making any martinis or cosmos…" She shrugged.

Chad paused in the doorway on his way out just long enough to give her a grateful smile.

"Thank you," he said politely as he disappeared into the backroom.

With Chad gone, Tatsuki turned her entire attention to watching and speculating about the handsome man in the dark corner of the bar. He wore a brown plaid shirt and faded jeans. She could tell from the shape of his shoes that he was wearing cowboy boots, which she found to be surprisingly sexy. She made a mental note to get herself a pair of them when she went shopping next time. Quiet country music played in the background, and she wondered if he had chosen the music from the jukebox machine.

She drank her beer patiently, appreciating its dark flavors and prolonging the pretense that she was simply just there to hang out by herself. Eventually though she found herself moving towards Starrk- inexplicably drawn to the man despite the clear body-language from him that he wanted to be alone. She wasn't more than two feet from him before she could smell the bourbon.

"Wow, hittin' the hard stuff early huh?" She commented as she approached. She settled down one bar seat away from him.

"Five-o-clock somewhere…" his voice was low and husky. He looked up from beneath his disheveled mass of hair and Tatsuki could see his eyes were rimmed in red. He had bags underneath his eyes and needed a shower. There was something different about him though…it was the way he moved, the ease of his limbs. This was a languid self that Tatsuki had not met yet.

"What are we drinking to?" Tatsuki asked with a small smirk as she slightly raised her beer of mug at him.

Starrk pursed his lips for a moment, unsure of whether or not he wanted to encourage conversation with the reed-thin woman who had reminded him of a woodland nymph. In her sweatshirt, overcoat and jeans she looked fair and unaffected. He took a quick glance at Tatsuki, observing how soft her brown eyes looked in the dim light. Something in her face kept him interested.

"To fate, I suppose" he said mildly as he tried to sit up straight by leveraging his elbows against the bar in order to lift his head. "To fate and her cruel jokes on mankind, hollowkind, whatever…" his voice drifted away into bitter muttering that Tatsuki could make out.

Starrk's grey-blue eyes floated restlessly across the bottles of liquor behind the bar before finally returning to over to the woman sitting next to him. She seemed to be watching him closely, too closely. Too much attention made Starrk feel uneasy. He wasn't sure why, but her silence was unnerving him. He normally didn't mind silence, but he felt compelled to say something. He tried to think of something to say, something casual and polite, or inventive and interesting. He was awful at these things. It had been almost a full minute of silence before she decided to say something instead.

"I never took you for the self-pitying kind," she said, her tone was casual but not accusatory.

Starrk took a moment before he responded. She watched him the way only an outside observer could, he realized. She didn't know him. She knew nothing about his history or who he was. Somehow that revelation felt uplifting, as if he had gotten off the hook for something. To her, he wasn't an alcoholic. He was just another man having a drink; _nothin' wrong with that_, Starrk reasoned to himself.

"I never took you for the intruding type," he replied, lifting his glass to his lips and letting the liquid gold slip into his mouth, over his tongue, down his throat. His body hummed as he felt the satisfying burn of silky bourbon.

"I'm not…usually," she sighed as she glanced around the bar. "At least, I haven't been in the past."

"And now?" He prompted.

"Until now," Tatsuki stated, frowning as she thought of the past few weeks. "I don't know, so much has been happening. None of it directly affects me, but I don't quite know where I fit in or what I should be doing."

Starrk looked down at Tatsuki, surprised to see vulnerability and hurt in her dark eyes. He froze, as his throat became dry; he was unsure of what to say, but the alcohol was slowly preventing him from being his usual cautious self and for some reason he felt a need to comfort her.

"It's probably hard for them to talk to you about…stuff," he said very quietly. He wasn't sure if his comment even made sense in the context of what she was talking about, but then again he had kind of forgotten what they were even talking about in the first place. The alcohol was making things just fuzzy enough that following conversation was becoming a chore.

Tatsuki paused thoughtfully and didn't respond right away.

_Nel would have dug hard into this conversation_, Starrk thought to himself. She would have asked him a million questions, trying to get answers out of him that he didn't have. She would have asked what he was talking about, why he was feeling that way, why couldn't he talk to her?

"I suppose you'd like to be alone?" Tatsuki asked, forcing a rueful smile as she glanced up at Starrk.

He raised both his eyebrows with surprise at her question and didn't say anything at first. The drawl of the male country singer's voice hung in the air in between their silences.

Finally, Starrk raised his chin ever so slightly and shook his head once in disagreement.

"No, I wouldn't say that," he said as he took another deep gulp of the bourbon.

"Oh?"

"But I imagine you've better places to be."

She cocked her head to the side, blinking once in confusion of what he was referencing.

"Your friends need you right now," Starrk explained. "Go and be with them. Don't let them go through this alone." The depth of his own comment shocked him as he stared at the wallpaper behind the bar. He had no idea where that piece of advice had come from. The alcohol was running through his veins, making him dazed and numb. It was as if someone else was answering for him.

"I suppose I could go…" Tatsuki said slowly. _But I don't want to be anywhere but here_, Tatsuki suddenly thought. The idea of finding Ichigo just so she should check in on him and see how he was doing seemed unappealing, especially after her unproductive exhaustive search that morning. She was beginning to accept that he clearly did not want to be found. Conversation with him would be difficult anyways- prying emotions from Ichigo was like pulling teeth out. Tatsuki was pretty sure that she would only end up feeling helpless and unwanted.

She glanced at Starrk and found herself starring at the curve of his high cheekbones, admiring the masculinity of his unshaven face. The lines of his eyebrows were so sharp that they made him look startling in the dim yellow light of the bar. _He wants me here_, she thought to herself in amazement.

"Sometimes it's easier to talk to a stranger," she said slowly, as if she were trying not to scare a nervous but dangerous animal.

He nodded.

"I would have to agree," he stated simply.

_Does that mean keep talking?_ Tatsuki was unsure.

"I don't know how to be with my friends right now," she said tentatively. His face was hard to read. His eyes seemed glazed over as he stared at the grained wood of the bar. Tatsuki wasn't even sure if he was actually listening since he was sitting so still at that moment. Finally he looked at her, as if to wonder about why she stopped explaining mid-thought.

"I've been looking for Ichigo all day because I wanted to see if he's okay," she continued. "But I think I don't really want to find him. I guess that makes me a bit of a coward." A wave of guilt washed over her as she made this realization.

"Not a coward," Starrk responded quickly.

Tatsuki raised her eyebrows in surprise at his interjection.

He smiled with small a quirk of his lips and something inside Tatsuki melted a little.

"Well, maybe a bad friend," he teased, "But definitely not a coward."

Tatsuki couldn't help but smile back as he shot her a side glance, flashing those silver eyes on her for a brief second. "Thanks," she replied.

He nodded at her as he lifted his glass to take another drink. She wanted to believe that the ease in him was a result of her and not the alcohol. It made her feel silly to be so attracted to this man.

He disrupted her as he slammed his glass down after finishing the rest of the liquor. "Did I hear that you're the bartender for now?" Starrk asked, pushing the empty glass away from him.

Tatsuki chewed on the bottom of her lip as she looked at the glass.

"Can you get me another bourbon, neat?" He asked.

She looked at him skeptically for a moment, but eventually picked up the glass and walked around to the either side of the bar.

"How many will this be for you?" she asked. She glanced up at him for a moment while she poured him the liquor.

"28," he state plainly.

"What? Really?" She stopped pouring the bourbon, nearly dropping the decanter.

"No," he remarked dryly and smirked. "I don't know many I've had. I've lost count."

_That could be worse_, Tatsuki thought to herself.

"How long have you been here?" She found herself asking with a frown. She set the glass of bourbon back down on the bar and pushed it toward him.

"Since last night," he admitted sadly as he took the glass from her and brought it to his lips immediately. Tatsuki frowned as she watched him with sympathetic eyes. His face was ruddy, glazed with a sheen of sweat. She didn't doubt at all that he had been here since last night. His hands shook as he held his glass.

"I'm sorry," she said. He raised an eyebrow that asked why she was apologizing. "I'm sorry about everything that's happened. I hope you and your friends find a resolution that will make you all happy."

"How magnanimous of you," he quipped. His voice was soft but drenched in sarcasm.

"Pardon?"

"I have heard that you've not been the most welcoming or kind to Ulquiorra," Starrk stated. She turned pink as embarrassment washed over her.

"I…I'm sorry for that too," she murmured as she reached for one of the empty glasses on the shelf. Now she felt like she needed some bourbon as well. "You must understand, I was only being protective of my friend…"

"Oh of course," he said. Tatsuki saw a glint in his eyes and realized that he was teasing her again.

"Are you going to hold it against me?" She asked slowly as she poured herself the drink.

"No," he stated. "But only if you answer me this question: Do you care what happens to us?"

Tatsuki frowned and shook her head with confusion. "I'm…not sure what you're asking…"

"Do you think we deserve this chance to cleanse our souls and move on?" He asked evenly.

Tatsuki sipped her bourbon for a moment as she thought hard about the question.

"I don't know…" she finally said, stricken with guilt at the idea of him feeling so tortured.

He smiled, lifting his glass and finishing his bourbon once more.

"That's why I like you," he said smoothly. "You don't hand out platitudes for the sake of politeness." She rolled her eyes in response, setting her glass on the bar countertop.

"No, I mean it. It's interesting…it's very possible that you might harbor a deep wish that we all disappear from your lives and that you really wouldn't care how we did it…so long as it stops interrupting your pleasant life."

Tatsuki frowned, hating that he read her so easily when she could have hardly discovered that truth about herself.

"It's okay, I won't hold it against you," he added gently as he stood up. Tatsuki sighed deeply, wishing away her unease.

"Well, thank you," she murmured. Her level of unease quickly increased though as he approached her, stepping around the side of the bar and entering her space behind the bar.

"I won't hold it against you if you dance with me," he stated as he reached for her hand.

"What?" she said in alarm as she tried to pull her hand back. It was too late though, her hand had already disappeared into his large warm ones and her heart began to pound loudly in her chest. "No. I don't dance," she protested.

"I figured a woman like you wouldn't," he added casually as he pulled her onto the darkly lit dance floor.

"We're the only ones here," she gasped, hating the heat that was washing over her. "Stop. You're just drunk."

"Don't attribute my actions to inebriation," he warned in a low and edgy breath. She relented as he pulled her into her arms. Starrk lifted her arms around his neck before his hands settled on her hips. Her cheeks were pink and her stomach quivered at how close they were.

"You should relax," he whispered in her ear. "You're as stiff as a doll." His lips briefly brushed her earlobe as he pulled away from her. She gulped; her skin was tingling from his accidental caress− at least it seemed accidental.

"I'm not used to…to…" she stuttered, avoiding eye contact. In her mind she thought of a dozen words that described what she was feeling at that moment: intimacy, human contact, kindness, flirtation, a masculine handsome man paying attention to her… "I'm not used to dancing," she finally said lamely.

"Neither am I, but did you know…I realize I've done almost no dancing in my time as a human and I think I should get some of it done now as I've got some time on my hands," his low timbre voice echoed around her. "Am I doing this right?"

"Ah…yes, I guess…" He moved her slowly to the sound of the slow jazz music that had come on the jukebox. It was distant and hardly even audible in Tatsuki's mind. She found herself relaxing as the warmth of his embrace surrounded her. His shoulders were so broad and his chest so solid, Tatsuki suddenly felt so tired. Yes, the recent events did not affect her directly but they were exhausting nonetheless. Anxiety was exhausting. Taking care of friends was exhausting. Fighting with Renji was exhausting. She didn't realize how nice it felt to have someone pay attention to her. She lowered her head onto his comforting shoulder and closed her eyes.

Starrk found himself smiling as she rested her body against him finally. He found her nervousness absolutely charming. It was refreshing compared to Nel's self-assured confidence. He knew that Tatsuki was hardly a wilting wallflower. He could tell she was the type of woman who'd never let a man walk all over her. Yet she wasn't the type of woman to just simply let a man walk into her life either. The walls she had built around herself were so formidable; Starrk felt a strange sense satisfaction in getting her to melt into him like she was doing.

Tatsuki could hear the loud beating of his heart as she laid her head on his chest. It left her in wonderment. _How many times did I tell Orihime that Ulquiorra wasn't human? How could I have said that they're not human when they have the same pounding heart that I have?_ She thought to herself. He was sweaty and overly warm, like a furnace, but she didn't mind. His spicy masculine scent was like a drug that fogged up her mind and made her forget about everything she was worrying about. She leaned into him, pressing her body flush against his and feeling more proof that he was human. His groin was hard and hot and she couldn't help but release a low sigh of pleasure at the feeling. Starrk groan in response, a fire shooting through his body as he lowered his lips and nipped at her ear. She gasped, suddenly hungry for more. She wanted him to kiss her, to take her mouth in his and make her forget everything. She turned her head, ready to brush her lips against his.

* * *

Orihime ran into Nel outside of Chad's bar, literally. She briskly turned the corner when she knocked her head against a woman's chin and their bodies bounced off each other.

"Umf!" They yelped simultaneously. Orihime shook her head gently, trying to get rid of the stars she was seeing before her. Her hat had fallen off and was now lying on the snowy ground nearby.

"Ow!" Nel cried as she tasted blood on her tongue. "You made me bit my lip!" She accused.

Orihime didn't apologize, but instead straightening herself out, fumbling with her coat and picking up her dropped hat.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking," Orihime apologized immediately. Nel simply shot her a repressive glance as she too started to put herself back into order, straightening her coat and scarf. Orihime couldn't help but admire the beautiful tan cashmere trench coat the model was wearing in addition to her brown leather boots. Nel's hair was done up in an ornate fashion with curls pinned on top of her head. She wore a pair of dangling sparkling earrings that only highlighted the elegant curve of her neck even more than usual. The woman was so put-together that Orihime couldn't help but feel shabby and uncultured.

"I was just headed to Chad's bar," Nel said primly as she watched the young redhead.

"Me too!" Orihime said a bit too enthusiastically. "I suppose we could walk there together."

"I suppose," Nel sighed as she began to cross the street. Orihime followed, throwing her hat back on in order to keep warm. It was night and the wind had gotten even chillier.

"Have you talked to Ulquiorra recently?" Orihime asked. Normally she would have felt a bit self-conscious asking Nel about Ulquiorra, but their talk had left Orihime shaking.

"No, I haven't," Nel simply responded. Orihime blinked, starring at Nel with surprise. She had expected Nel to yell at her for some reason, but the tall dark green-haired woman just kept moving. Nel walked so fast that Orihime was having a hard time following.

"I just got done speaking to him," Orihime shared. Nel did not respond.

"I was expecting you to reprimand me for bugging Ulquiorra," Orihime said honestly. She peeked at Nel and noticed how red Nel's nose was; her eyes were red and puffy and she wore almost no makeup. It looked like Nel had been crying.

"Nel…are you alright?" Orihime asked gently as she walked along. They were almost to the door of Chad's bar. Nel shook her head.

"No," she cried in a stifled half sob. Nel stopped walking suddenly as they stepped in front of the bar's entrance. She coughed down another sob as she ran a nervous hand through her front bangs, pushing them out of her eyes.

"Oh…" Orihime gasped in surprise. She was about to ask Nel what was wrong, but the woman had already grabbed the front door and stepped inside. Orihime found herself scrambling to get into the warm bar before the door shut behind Nel. It took a moment for Orihime's eyes to adjust to the dark interior of the front room of the bar. All she could see in that one moment as she stepped toward the small staircase leading to the main floor of the bar was Nel's silhouette.

Nel stood as still as a statue at the bottom of the stairs. Her hands were stuck in the pockets of her coat and her tall elegant frame faced the empty dance floor. Soft jazz music was playing, but Orihime could not see anyone else in the bar from her view. As she stepped forward down to Nel's side, she noticed the trembling in the woman's shoulder which caused her to frown with concern.

"Nel, what's…" Orihime began to ask as she followed Nel's gaze over to the dance floor. There, under the dim lights, stood Tatsuki in Starrk's arms. Tatsuki had just lifted her head, having been resting it on his shoulder, and began to step away from Starrk.

"Oh…" Tatsuki said slowly, her large brown eyes full of surprise and guilt. The energy in the room was undeniable. It was clear that Orihime and Nel had interrupted an intimate moment.

"Tatsuki…what are you doing?" Orihime asked. It was probably the question that was screaming in Nel's mind, and out of kindness Orihime felt compelled to speak for her.

Nel and Starrk stared at each other, both their gazes piercing with unspoken intense emotions. Rage and hurt haunted Nel's eyes, while disdain and indifference came from Starrk's grey ones.

"We were just…dancing," Tatsuki lamely explained. "Starrk had never danced before so I was just showing him− " Nel interrupted before Tatsuki could finish.

"He's danced before," Nel spat, her gaze following Starrk as he drifted over to the bar. The tall man with tousled brown hair helped himself to the bottle of bourbon that sat on the counter. Nel pinned Tatsuki with her hazel glare, "He danced at our wedding."

"Oh," Tatsuki muttered as she frowned and turned away. She couldn't help but suddenly feel incredibly defensive. What had she done wrong? The two of them were divorced after all.

"You let him drink?" Nel accused as she stomped over to where Starrk sat at the bar. She grabbed the bottle out from Starrk's hands forcefully; the gold liquid splashed inside the glass decanter. "Ugh, look at you…" Nel whispered painfully, her voice a mix of disgust and pain. "How many drinks have you had?"

Starrk lowered his head and did not reply. He rested his elbows on the bar counter and rubbed his face with his large hands, muffling a deep sigh of annoyance. His shoulders hunched over with fatigue.

"Why did you let him drink so much?" Nel's voice got louder as her head whipped around in Tatsuki's direction.

"I…" Tatsuki began to explain, this time her confidence returning as she began to defend herself. She could hardly get another word in before Nel cut her off once more.

"Years of sobriety and you let him succumb to this in one night?" Nel demanded.

"I didn't know!" Tatsuki yelled back. She crossed her arms over her chest as she turned to her best friend. "We weren't doing anything. You need to tell your green-haired friend to back off!" Orihime was about to say something but Starrk finally intervened.

"Leave her alone," his low and husky voice called out. "I was well into the drinks before she showed up." Nel sat down next to Starrk on a bar stool, managing to cross her legs as elegantly as lady. Tears shimmered around the corners of her eyes but her messy bangs, wisps of silky green hair, fell around her face and hid this vulnerability from Tatsuki and Orihime. Starrk didn't miss this detail though, and somewhere inside a pang of guilt struck him

"Starrk…" Nel began more gently, "I'm sorry that you're drinking."

"Nel," he responded quietly and curtly. "I don't need your nursing. Nnoitra's here, is he not?" Starrk reached up and pushed a wave of long brown hair away from his face. Nel could see how bloodshot his eyes were and the sheen of sweat that covered his ruddy skin.

"I know, I'll stop," Nel whispered with dismay. "I wish whiskey could make my decision easier," she added sardonically.

"It's bourbon," Starrk commented casually. Nel sighed loudly in response. From the corner of her eye she noticed that Orihime and Tatsuki had slunk off into a corner table as far away from them as possible. She sighed once more, feeling a bit more comfortable without the audience watching.

"If you've come to ask for my decision, you'll be disappointed," Starrk added, keeping his eyes on the countertop.

"I didn't come to find out what your decision was," she responded quickly, shaking her head. She watched him patiently, waiting for him to meet her gaze once more. She missed those eyes when they were clear and cool. He always had a calm and quiet center that made her feel at ease simply by looking into his eyes.

"Why did you come then?"

"I…" Nel paused for a moment, being careful with her words. If she spoke the truth, she'd sound selfish but there didn't seem to be any other answer. She was silent long enough that he finally glanced up at her, flashing grey eyes that were stormy and dark. Nel forced herself to believe that it was only a trick of the dim lights, that there was still a light in him that would provide the clarity she needed.

"I want you to help me make mine," she finally said. He regarded her warily. It had been a long time since he'd seen her so stripped of her graceful and confident exterior. Even when they had their worst fights she had always managed to hold her head high. In this moment however she looked so defeated and it angered Starrk. He inhaled deeply, trying hard to control the growing fire that was burning inside his chest. Through all the pain and tragedy of their marriage, never once did he see her eyes look so defeated. She had been hurt and bitter about their divorce, but he had never seen her so broken. His head spun. The room, his vision, everything seemed to getting blurry. All he could feel was rage in his heart. He knew that there was only one person who could weaken her like this.

"You must have been with Nnoitra today," he began casually, his malice hidden by his quiet tone and scratchy voice. Nel did not respond right away. She hesitated, instantly feeling a change in the air. She noticed how his nostrils flared, how his hand began to tremor, how his breath quickened.

"Yes," she admitted fearfully. She could not lie at this point.

"I take it he has chosen not to be your soul mate forever and ever," Starrk sneered, his comment dripping with belligerence. Nel looked down at the stained floor so he could not see the sadness in her eyes.

"He has chosen to go, with or without me," she explained, sighing. "What about you?"

"I have not decided yet, but when I do it will have nothing to do with you."

* * *

**Taadaa! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Obviously the next chapter is going to answer some questions...like Emily's story...dun dun dun. Big drama ahead. Hope to see you there. Comments and music at my livejournal: mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com. I also put up pictures from my wedding just cuz I wanted to share :) Thanks for the reviews guys!**


	23. Chapter 23: The Past II

**Chapter 23: The Past II**

"Hi, you're Ulquiorra right?" A shy young blonde asked as she stepped up to him. Ulquiorra was stunned to have someone approach him- his surprise showing only through the slightest glint in his green eyes. Normally, no one ever talked to him in class. He was a strange, pale, abnormally intelligent young man. Why would anyone want to talk to him? He tilted his head back slowly and gave her a cautious nod.

"Yes." He replied, unable to stop himself from sounding curt.

"Hi, I'm Emily," she said, unperturbed by Ulquiorra's unfriendliness. She took a bold step closer, extending a confident hand. Ulquiorra couldn't help but take a step back in response as he stared at her hand with slight suspicion. He glanced back up to her smiling face. She had wheat-blonde hair cut short enough to touch her jawline. Her skin was a peaches-and-cream complexion, smooth and luminescent. She batted her pretty brown eyes while she waited patiently for his handshake.

Ulquiorra began to feel awkward. He held an umbrella in one hand and his books in his other hand, and suddenly he didn't know quite what to do with himself. He shuffled his umbrella from one hand to the other, trying to balance his books at the same time. His jitteriness only seemed to charm her as her polite smile broadened into a bright cheerful grin, revealing a perfect row of pearly white teeth.

"We have chemistry class together…" she pointed out. "In addition to this class…"

A faint memory of the blonde rushed into Ulquiorra's mind as he slowly shook her hand. The woman had a firm grip, Ulquiorra observed as green eyes clashed with large brown ones.

"I'm sorry…I don't mean to be a bother you but…well you just seem so smart. I mean…your answers in class always make you sound really smart. I just couldn't help but wonder if you'd be interested in studying together sometime?" Emily asked.

"Are you having difficulties keeping up with the class?" Ulquiorra asked quietly, his monotone voice sounding uninterested.

"No!" Emily startled, but eventually looked down at her boots before muttering, "Well…maybe….sort of…ok, fine, yes. Yes, I am having some trouble with the class. I just thought you'd be a good tutor." She looked back up at him with an earnest smile.

"I suppose I could help…err…well I usually study alone," he pointed out lamely.

"Oh…I wouldn't want to intrude…" she began, disappointment obvious in her tone.

"Ulquiorra?" A high shrill voice came from the front of the classroom. Both students turned their heads and looked at the woman who had just called his name. "Are we to meet for office hours?" The British woman's low and seductive tone called. Ulquiorra blushed, although his pale face barely showed any signs of his distress. He didn't know why he was so embarrassed to get called out. For some reason he didn't want this Emily creature to know about his relationship with the professor. Ulquiorra looked at Emily and then at the professor and then back to Emily.

"Ah…" Ulquiorra began as he tried to think of a way out of the situation.

"Dr. Marsh, I was just asking Ulquiorra about starting a studying group," Emily cut in quickly. Ulquiorra dropped his umbrella. Without even flinching, Emily reached down to the floor and picked it up, handing it over to him casually.

"Oh," Dr. Marsh replied, her questioning dark eyes glancing at Ulquiorra meaningfully. "Well, Ulquiorra usually attends my Thursday office hours, right?" She said, reaching over and rubbing Ulquiorra's upper arm warmly. Emily watched this interaction with dull eyes, disappointment showing through the dimming of her smile. Dr. Marsh was a gorgeous woman- tall, reed thin, with a pixie-crop of dark brown hair. Her signature red lipstick and dark grey suit was intimidating for a young student like Emily.

"I don't need your help today," Ulquiorra stated, brushing off Dr. Marsh' caresses.

"Oh?" The professor's gaze quickly hardened with annoyance.

"Yes, I find I am quite caught up on the Russian Revolution," Ulquiorra said plainly.

"Well I better leave you two be then," Dr. Marsh murmured, her low tone suddenly dripping with bitterness. "I wouldn't want to interrupt your _studying_." The professor walked away, her high heels clicking loudly on the marble floor of the Columbia University lecture hall.

"What…was…that?" Emily asked boldly, her eyes stopped following Dr. Marsh's retreat and turned questioningly to Ulquiorra.

"Nothing," Ulquiorra stated.

Emily blinked several times at the sharpness of his tone. Why did he feel bad that he was not pleasing this blonde girl? Ulquiorra pondered with irritation

"Ah…I'd like to study together," Ulquiorra said quickly, wanting to move on from the awkwardness of Dr. Marsh's intrusion.

"Really?" Emily said, eagerness returning to her voice. Ulquiorra's gaze quickly assessed Emily's petite frame. The girl was wearing a pink fuzzy angora sweater that stretched over her generous chest. White lace collars peeked out from the top of the sweater and a short brown tweed skirt skimmed her knees. She wore a pair of knee-high brown riding boots and a brown headband in her blonde hair. She was an absolute doll.

"Yes," Ulquiorra stated shortly.

They started studying every Thursday evening, meeting in one of the great halls of Butler Library. In silence they sat reading their text books and scribbling notes into their notebooks. Every now and then, they'd glance up at each other, locking gazes for several tense seconds before she'd always smile and look away first. Ulquiorra could not explain it, but he loved it when she did that. Her cheeks would turn pink and she would always press her lips together nervously. There were many things he was learning about her. Emily had somber light brown eyes and, though she did not smile often, she always looked like she had just finished smiling. She was soft spoken but had one of the strongest spirits Ulquiorra had ever come across. Generally, she had a serious outlook on life but there were moments when she would tease him or give him a mischievous look that would cause him to think about her well into the night after he had gotten home.

Ulquiorra hid his feelings from her pretty well. Emily had no idea what the man was ever thinking. His blank expressions and intense green eyes continued to fascinate her. She was often too nervous to ever ask him what he was thinking or what his thoughts were on a topic other than history or philosophy or English- although she was often tempted to share bits about herself or share something funny that happened to her earlier that day. A stranger might have taken Emily's perpetual nervousness around Ulquiorra as a sign that she was afraid of his strangeness, but her whole dorm and the dorm next door knew she had a huge crush on Ulquiorra. It drove her absolutely crazy to know so many people knew how she watched Ulquiorra cross the courtyard from her window every morning. It was so annoying that her roommate and friends loved to tease her about how she had memorized his schedule. It drove her mad that everyone seemed to know about how she felt about Ulquiorra except Ulquiorra. Emily believed all she was to him was a study partner. She didn't want to change anything though, because it would mean they might not study together anymore if their relationship wasn't completely platonic.

Slowly though, the studying hours weren't enough for Emily. She wanted to spend more time with him. She wanted to go to the Museum of Modern Art with him on the weekends or have a picnic in Central Park together. Yet she was afraid of doing anything to shake up the steady schedule they had built. They never did anything except study together…until one day when Emily finally summoned the courage to ask Ulquiorra the big question.

"Ulquiorra?"

"Yes?" He replied politely. They had just finished studying for the evening. It was dark out and the courtyard was lit with glowing street lamps. Emily wore a tweed jacket over one of her signature fuzzy sweaters. It was fall, and the leaves were turning bright colors. The gentle breeze swept the colorful leaves around the courtyard in an almost magical dance.

"Would you like to get something to eat?" she asked, shifting her books in her arms. Her heels clicked on the cobblestones of the courtyard.

"Eat?" He asked as if he had never heard the concept before.

"Yeah," she said, opening up her messenger bag and putting her books inside.

"I suppose I haven't had dinner yet…" he observed. For some reason, he felt odd about spending more time with her than usual. He had specifically told himself their relationship would be only based on their studying needs, but she was constantly tempting him. Her smiles and positive energy were addicting enough, coupled with her brilliant mind and generous chest she made him long to spend more hours with her.

"There's a place I know in Chinatown that's really amazing," Emily offered. They stood only a couple feet apart, but she felt warm all over from being in his presence.

"That's kind of far for grabbing just a quick bite, is it not?" Ulquiorra commented lamely. "Why don't we just get something on Amsterdam."

"Oh come on, you're not feeling adventurous?" She gave him a coy smile and started fiddling with the gold necklace around her neck. He'd seen her do that several times whenever she was trying to be "extra" friendly with him.

"It's Thursday…and almost midnight…" Ulquiorra continued to stall.

"It's the city that never sleeps," she pointed out. Boldly, she reached out and linked her arm around his. "I promise you will love it."

"I suppose I could try something new…" He murmured, trying to calm his body's reaction to being touched by her.

"I found this place the first time I visited New York," she began to explain as they walked across the courtyard. She nearly skipped she was so excited to spend more time with Ulquiorra.

Dinner passed without anything remarkable happening. At least that's what it seemed like to Ulquiorra. He didn't realize though that events seemed to pass so quickly and easily with Emily because everything they did together felt so _natural_. It didn't feel like their first time eating a meal together, it felt like just another night hanging out together. While Emily would always gently nudge their friendship forward, she never forced him to do anything outside of his comfort zone. Before he knew it, he was actually enjoying himself. He actually liked hearing her tell stories about all the countries she had visited. He actually liked hearing the sound of her laughter. He actually wanted to find out if her skin felt as soft as it looked.

On the way home from the restaurant, it started to rain. Like most New Yorkers, they both had an umbrella ready in their book bags. It was almost 2 AM when they walked up to Ulquiorra's apartment. Emily felt disappointed about the fact that his place was closer to the train station and that the university was gated and guarded at night. She had no excuse to try to get him to walk her home to her dorm room.

"Well…good night," Ulquiorra stated formally. "Thank you for showing me the restaurant."

"Of course," Emily said, her grip tightening on the handle of her umbrella. Water poured all around them, sloshing on their shoes and getting their elbows wet. She shivered. The air had turned colder and a wind was beginning to pick up that blew the rain sideways.

"Why don't you live in the dorms?" She asked casually. She had always wondered about him. She wondered if he came from old money like she did. He always seemed so well-dressed and the fact that he lived in his own apartment instead of the dorms said that he had to have had a rich family that could pay for his wellbeing. It was just unfortunate that he didn't fight his family like she did in order to live in the dorms where it was easier to make friends.

"What?" He asked loudly, the wind and the rain had drowned out her soft voice.

"Can I come in?" She yelled over the sound of the storm.

Suddenly, despite the noise of the weather and the city, there seemed to be complete silence between the two of them. They both knew what she was asking. It was 2 AM after all, what more studying could they do? Suddenly, Ulquiorra was very nervous. He had only begun to master control of his human body. Before, he had almost no control when it came to women. It was how he was so easily seduced by Dr. Marsh.

"Ah…" he struggled to find the right response.

"Please?" She begged. "I'm soaking wet….just until it stops pouring so much."

"Okay…" he finally acquiesced. They both were indeed soaking wet at this point. The wind was blowing the rain horizontal with its strength. He turned around and unlocked the door that led to a steep stairway. They climbed three flights of stairs to get to Ulquiorra's little studio apartment that was above an old used book store. The apartment was cozy and warm, with old wall moldings that dated back to the late 1800's.

As they settled their belongings on the floor, Ulquiorra began to feel even more nervous. What was he to do with her now? He didn't own a television or board games or anything to entertain guests with. He turned to her and stared.

"Uhm…" he began, clearly unaccustomed to hosting a guest in his home.

"This is a beautiful apartment," she said as she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to stop herself from shivering. "I especially like the fireplace….does it work?" She asked pointedly with a sly smile.

"Ah! Yes," Ulquiorra said, taking the cue. He took off his wet wool jacket and began to toss in wood that sat in a pile next to the fireplace.

"It really is lovely up here," Emily said as she walked over to the large windows. Outside she could see poor victims of the storm, fighting the wind with their umbrellas.

Ulquiorra took his time building the fire, paying close attention to his task instead of engaging in conversation with her.

"I wonder when it's going to stop raining…" she thought out loud.

"Listen," he began in a stern voice as he turned around from the small fire he had built. "I don't normally have guests. I do not know how to do this."

"Do what?" Emily asked innocently.

"How to…be….with people," he said awkwardly. "What do we do now?"

Emily raised her eyebrows, unsure if he was referencing the one thing that was on her dirty mind or if he genuinely didn't know what to do with a guest.

"Uhm…well, when I have people visit me, I usually ask if they'd like something to drink?"

"I can do that," Ulquiorra said eagerly. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Some tea would be lovely," she said, offering her brilliant smile. He looked away quickly, not wanting to get enticed any more than he already was. "Maybe…you could offer me a towel so I could dry off?

"Yes, I can do that too," Ulquiorra said. "Would you like a towel, Emily?"

"Why, yes, that would be great," she said, giggling. Ulquiorra gave her the briefest hint of a smile as he set off to do her bidding. He distracted himself with finding her a clean towel and starting the kettle for their tea. He didn't realize that she was taking off her clothes until he turned around with two cups of warm tea in his hands.

She was a sight to behold. The fire lit her warm complexion making her skin seem to glow. Her blond hair looked like a halo around her head. She was just beginning to take off her damp sweater, leaving only her wet white collared shirt underneath. Through the damp cloth of her shirt, he could see her nipples sticking out boldly, calling for his intimate attention. His throat went dry wondering what the color of her nipples were. Emily followed his gaze and blushed profusely when she realized where he was staring.

"Uhm…towel?" She asked as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Ah…yes," he said as he set down the two mugs of tea. Emily sat down on the golden yellow couch that faced the large windows of the studio apartment.

"This is such a nice apartment, do your parents pay the rent each month?" Emily asked casually as she took the towel that Ulquiorra offered her.

"Ah, I do not have parents," Ulquiorra said simply as he sat down next to her. He kept his eyes averted, not wanting to stare at her as she wrapped the fluffy white towel around herself.

"What?"

"I don't have parents. I know that it is not normal to..."

"Oh, please, I apologize. I didn't mean to imply that everyone has parents," she said, feeling her cheeks turn pink.

"It is nothing to stress about," he said plainly. "It's never bothered me that I don't have parents."

"Okay," she replied quietly. There was a long moment of silence when neither one of them knew what to say. Finally Emily could no longer stand the awkwardness and spoke.

"I want to ask more about your life but I'm afraid to," she confessed, glancing up at him shyly. He paused for a moment, considering how much he wanted to reveal to her.

"What would you like to know?" he finally said, surprising himself.

"Uhm…" she said, sitting up and reaching for her mug of tea. "Who raised you?"

"I had…patrons who made sure I had anything I needed," Ulquiorra said carefully.

"Patrons…do you mean foster parents?"

"More like adoptive parents."

"Did they raise you from when you were a little baby?"

"No."

"How old were you when they took you in?"

Ulquiorra looked away for a moment, pressing his lips together in thought. What was the right way to say this?

"Old enough," he settled on saying.

"Okay…" Emily responded, not wanting to pry any more than she already was.

"Your adoptive parents, do they ever visit you here at Columbia?" She asked.

"No."

"No?"

"They…monitor me and my progress, but I don't see them regularly," Ulquiorra explained.

"You don't speak of them with great affection," Emily observed as she sipped her tea.

"I don't have any affection for them whatsoever," Ulquiorra replied honestly. He took a sip from his tea as well, his blank face hiding any kind of emotional reaction from Emily.

"I understand that," Emily said, staring straight ahead of her at the wallpaper. "More than you know…" she whispered. Ulquiorra glanced at her, raising an eyebrow.

"How can that be? You have blood relatives, people who are truly your kin," Ulquiorra asked.

"It's…complicated," Emily said shaking her head. She ran her index finger around the rim of the mug. "We're WASPS, we don't show affection. My mother and father never hugged or kissed me. I never saw them hug or kiss each other actually. We lived in a very large house and they slept in different wings."

"And that is…unnatural?" Ulquiorra asked, knitting his dark brows as he tried to understand the complexity of her situation. It was clear she was distressed, but unclear as to why.

"Well it's pretty natural for where I come from in Connecticut," Emily added dryly. She set her cup back on the makeshift coffee table in front of her. Ulquiorra had cleverly found an old wooden board and laid it over stacks of old magazines. "But for most people, no it's not natural. Most husbands and wives share the same bedroom."

"Was it only you and your parents growing up?" Ulquiorra asked. He could see she was upset and needed a change in the topic of conversation.

"No, I have an older brother," Emily said. "He's kind of a jerk…but also really protective, so I guess he's helpful when I need him."

"That sounds…useful," Ulquiorra commented, glancing at her. He couldn't help but think back to Orihime and her relationship with her older brother. He knew so much about the orange-haired girl, it was strange that small facts such as her relationship with her brother would come floating back to him at a time like this.

"You know…" Emily began as they locked gazes. "I think we have more in common than I realized." At that moment, they both realized how close they were sitting to each other. Their clothes were beginning to dry off and Emily no longer looked like she was going to turn into an icicle. For a moment there, her lips had been looking a bit blue. Ulquiorra looked down at her now pink and inviting lips, suddenly feeling a rush of heat to his groin.

"Perhaps," he managed to murmur as she leaned into him. His green eyes drew her in. She could feel his warm breath on her chin as she moved closer to him.

"I've been wanting to do this since the day we met," she confessed in a breathy whisper as she brushed her lips against his. Ulquiorra didn't respond but instead took her lips hungrily. His hands slipped up into her hair, pulling her closer as their tongues began to battle. He could feel the tips of her hardened nipples pressing into his chest and the feeling drove him nearly mad. They began pulling at each other's clothing, Ulquiorra pushing her back until he could fit his body hers. Their movements were fast and the love making was quick. By the time they had finished, they were out of breath and their clothes were strewn across the entire studio.

And that was when they began their love affair. They spent their evenings huddled at libraries studying and intermittently making out amongst the stacks of books. They spent their nights, tangled in each other's arms, whispering secrets to each other that they had never told anyone else.

Ulquiorra learned that Emily came from an abusive family, one in which her father would often beat her mother- though he never seemed to come near Emily and her older brother Bryce. Emily spent most of her childhood traveling. Her father had been an advisor to some big CEO of some big company, and her family moved quite frequently every time the company built a new branch. She had fought horribly with her parents in order to allow her to get a dorm room like most students as opposed to having her parents buy her a penthouse apartment.

Emily loved horseback riding, had an invisible friend named Esmeralda when she was a child, and wanted to become a doctor someday. Despite the fact that she was brilliant in biology, chemistry, and math, she seemed to have difficulty writing the long essays that were necessary for history, philosophy, and English. Emily grew up with very few friends, but found that she made friends easily once she got to college.

Most importantly though, Ulquiorra learned that she had seen him on the first day of class and had wanted to talk to him ever since. She confessed that she thought had a mild obsession with him, and for some reason the obsession had started with the way he ate his food. She had noticed one day in the cafeteria that he ate his simple meals with the most impeccable table manners she had ever seen- even compared to some of the formal dinners she had to attend as a child. There had been something odd about him that drew her to him; she confessed she thought he was the most intriguing man she had ever met.

As for Ulquiorra, he revealed very little and yet a lot to Emily. He talked about the patrons who he never saw, but knew watched over him constantly in order to make sure he stayed in line and did well in school. He shared that the patrons took care of four other kids who lived in various parts of the country. He shared that the other kids visited him every now and then, and that they were all older than him and had successful careers.

Emily gasped with excitement when Ulquiorra revealed their names since she recognized the famous band Nnoitra was in and the football team that Grimmjow played for. Ulquiorra explained about Nel and how Nel took care of them, visiting them all regularly to make sure everyone was doing okay. Emily immediately wanted to see pictures of Nel, and when Ulquiorra showed them to her, Emily's smile dimmed slightly as she tried to hide her jealousy. Every woman who ever saw what Nel looked like felt jealousy, if for no other reason than for pure insecurity's sake.

One day, Emily decided it was time to take their relationship further. It was the University's family day, and Emily invited Ulquiorra to dinner with her family. It was the first time she would be seeing her family since she started dating Ulquiorra, and she had talked about him enough that her parents were eager to make his acquaintance. Secretly, Emily was buzzing with excitement for Ulquiorra and her parents to meet. It was always a big deal whenever she'd introduce her boyfriends to her parents, especially since they always seemed so disapproving of everything else she did. Emily had a hunch though that her parents were going to love Ulquiorra and his impeccable table manners, his formal ways, and his respectful demeanor. When she broached the topic with Ulquiorra however, his response was not exactly what she had hoped for. In fact, she was quite certain that his pale face managed to turn pure white.

"I do not think that's a good idea…" Ulquiorra managed to say as he swallowed hard.

"What do you mean? Why?" Emily asked, slightly hurt.

_Why? Why?_ Ulquiorra could think of a hundred reasons why he couldn't meet her family. First, he didn't want to meet them. He had heard enough about them. Emily was enough for him. It was Emily who he liked and wanted to be with, not her family. Secondly, he had no idea how Soul Society would feel about him having a real relationship with a human. It could be that Soul Society would not want him to embark on a relationship that could possibly end in marriage. From everything he had gleaned about human relationships from Emily, meeting the parents was momentous. The next step would be a wedding. He wasn't ready to take that step.

"I…" Ulquiorra began slowly, trying to keep his tone even. "I have to study that night."

"What?"

"I have to study for my German literature class."

"That's a lie, Ulquiorra. I can't believe you would lie to me…" Emily said, her voice full of shock.

"It's not a lie." It certainly wasn't. The German literature exam was in three weeks; studying this early would only be the brightest idea possible for any student, Ulquiorra thought to himself. Emily merely scowled.

"It would really mean a lot to me," she said quietly as she began to chew on her bottom lip.

"I really cannot do this for you," he explained.

"I already told them you were coming."

"What?"

It didn't take much longer for Emily to convince Ulquiorra to attend dinner with her family. They had a reservation at one of the fanciest restaurants in town and Emily had chosen to wear her favorite pink sweater and brown pleated skirt. She was brimming with excitement as she glanced over the menu.

"My goodness, Charles, when was the last time we saw our Emily this happy?" Emily's mother commented.

"Been rather a long time, I should say," Emily's father commented in response. It was the only two lines her parents had exchanged between themselves since they had arrived in New York City. The day had been spent showing them her campus and the places she liked to eat lunch or study. She took them to see an exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and then to a dance show that the University hosted. During that entire time, her parents spoke to her and her brother Bryce, but they never spoke to each other. It didn't bother Emily or anything; it was only consistent with how they had behaved ever since she was a little girl.

"When's this loser going to get here? He's late," Bryce stated blandly. Emily's brother was a towering man of 6'5" with broad football-player shoulders and a short military haircut. All of her mother's soft features had been passed onto Emily while her brother received the sharp cheekbones and strong jawline of their father. Bryce had just finished college at Princeton and would start an internship with an investment firm in New York City that summer. He normally would have never attended something as lame as family day, except he needed to find an apartment to live in for the summer.

"Ulquiorra is almost never late. It's probably the subway, it must be stuck somewhere," Emily explained calmly.

"He takes the subway?" Bryce asked with disgust. Emily swallowed hard, ignoring her irritation with her brother. The family dinner was becoming stressful enough for her. The last thing she needed was her brother's nasty comments. She began to pick at her pink nail polish as she sat there at the silent dinner table. Why couldn't Bryce ever be the supporting brother she needed? All of their lives, he'd never been a brother who stood by her side nor had he ever given her a shoulder to lean on when things were rough. They certainly didn't have perfect parents, but it all would have been easier if Bryce had been kinder and more thoughtful of his little sister. Bryce continued to make cruel jokes at Emily's expense as time passed and Ulquiorra still did not show up.

They waited for an additional twenty minutes before Emily's father declared that it was time to order dinner. Both her parents glared at her with disappointment and rejection. Emily felt like her heart had been shattered. Her cheeks were pink with embarrassment and her brother's annoying mean comments echoed throughout her head. Worry and anxiety mixed into her embarrassment as her imagination began to make excuses for Ulquiorra's absence. Maybe he was hurt somewhere? Maybe he fell into one of those street ditches? What if he had been mugged and was in a hospital? Emily made up almost a hundred reasons why Ulquiorra might have missed the dinner. By the time she had walked all the way from 96th Street to 110th Street she was already on reason #101.

As Emily walked up to Ulquiorra's apartment building, she looked up at the third story windows searching for lights or any sign that he was home. Why oh why didn't he own a phone, of _any_ kind? Emily thought to herself, pressing the doorbell for Ulquiorra's apartment. She buzzed and buzzed him, but heard no footsteps. It seemed he wasn't home. She stepped back from the building and looked up at the windows once more. It was night time, but the dark sky held no moon. She could only see shadows in the large windows of his studio apartment. The lights weren't on but there were moving figures. _He is home_, she thought fiercely. She grabbed a rock on the ground and threw it at his window. The rock bounced off the glass, nearly shattering it, but achieved the desired results. Ulquiorra rushed to the window to see what had happened, only to see his girlfriend staring up at him furiously.

Emily waited nearly another three minutes before she finally heard the shuffling of his footsteps. When he came downstairs, dressed in jeans and a white t-shirt, Emily was past being angry. She had returned back to hurt. The moment he stepped out onto the concrete sidewalk, Emily walked toward him and shoved him with both her arms. He stumbled back a few steps, but then did nothing except stare at her.

"You jerk!" She stammered. "How…how could you do that to me? We waited for over forty-five minutes for you!" Emily could feel her cheeks turning pink and hot tears rolling down her face.

Ulquiorra blinked several times, taking in all the emotions she was throwing at him.

"I'm sorry. I told you that I could not do this for you," he said simply. "I…I tried…"

"Can't do this? I see you're doing just fine," she stated, glaring at him.

"I don't know what you mean," he said, knitting his brow with confusion.

"Well clearly you haven't been maimed by a psychopath or gotten thrown into a ditch, or fell and got hit by a train."

"What?"

"Never mind!" Emily screamed. She hiccupped as she started crying. "H-how could you do this to me?"

The roar of an engine distracted both of them long enough to silence them. They turned toward the approaching car. A black Jaguar drove up and double parked on the street. The driver side door was shoved open and Emily's brother Bryce came bouncing out of the car.

"Is that the loser who humiliated my sister?" Bryce sneered as he stomped toward them.

"Bryce, what are you doing here? I said I didn't need your help," Emily said with exasperation.

"I wanted to see the little punk of a coward who stood you and all of us up!" Bryce stared down at Ulquiorra with beady eyes. "What do you have to say, huh? You don't look like much of a man. A real man would have shown up like he promised he would."

"Are you trying to intimidate me?" Ulquiorra replied blandly. His eyes were dull and uninterested as he stared back at Bryce.

"You're damn right. And you should be afraid," Bryce hissed as he took a step closer to Ulquiorra. "Nobody humiliates my sister like that and gets away with it."

"Bryce, that's enough. I don't need you to defend me," Emily stated as she stepped in between them. She put a hand on each of the men's chests and shoved hard, trying to pry them apart from one another. Her efforts were useless though, as they both simply pushed her aside and returned to their staring contest.

"I am not afraid," Ulquiorra stated, his green eyes darkening with irritation. "I am with your sister, but I have no care for her family, especially you."

"Well, you should care. There's no way we'll let Emily continue to see you," Bryce threatened.

"You cannot make me or Emily do anything," Ulquiorra responded, unaffected by the threat.

"I know how to make you do as I say," Bryce shouted as he lunged for Ulquiorra. Emily hopped out of the way quickly enough to not be taken down, but Bryce had practically pounced on Ulquiorra and now had him pinned to the ground. Being twice his size, Bryce had no trouble holding Ulquiorra down as he proceeded to swing a fist at Ulquiorra's face.

"You think you're a tough man, you loser!" Bryce sneered as he punched Ulquiorra's jaw.

"Bryce, stop it! STOP IT!" Emily screamed as she tried to shove her brother off Ulquiorra to no avail. She could smell the liquor on him, seeping out of his skin and into the atmosphere. Bryce had a history of violence, but Emily had never dreamed that he would turn his malice on Ulquiorra.

"I'm gonna teach him a lesson!" Bryce declared as he began to choke Ulquiorra, his large hands engulfing Ulquiorra's thin neck.

"Bryce, NO!" Emily pleaded, shoving Bryce as hard as she could. He didn't budge. She realized she could not move her brother at all. She looked around for nearby strangers, cabs, anyone or anything that could help her stop what was going on. The streets were oddly empty for it was night time and a holiday weekend. Emily glanced back at Ulquiorra. The sight of his flailing body underneath Bryce produced true panic in her. She frantically searched her surroundings for something she could grab, anything that could get Bryce off Ulquiorra. There was a small construction site nearby. She searched the ground and found a large rock practically the size of her head. It seemed like the only option. It must have weighed almost 15 pounds as Emily struggled to pick it up. Once she had it in her hands and had lunged it over to where Bryce and Ulquiorra were, she swung it at Bryce's head. The contact of the rock and Bryce's skull made a loud cracking noise. Blood squirted and Bryce's body fell over.

"Oh my god, oh my god," Emily repeated as she rushed to Ulquiorra's side, helping him sit up. He choked and coughed, his face bloodied and blue. It was clear that his nose was broken and his bottom lip was split in half. Bryce had to have been wearing his football championship ring to have caused such damage to Ulquiorra's face.

"Ulquiorra, my god, we have to call an ambulance."

"No," Ulquiorra stated in a low, animalistic tone. He growled with fury as he managed to sit up and reach for the rock. Emily had forgotten about Bryce the second he fell off Ulquiorra, but now Emily could see that Bryce was struggling to crawl out of Ulquiorra's way. Before Emily could stop him, Ulquiorra had grabbed the rock and slammed it into Bryce's skull. Ulquiorra didn't stop though. He slammed the rock down again on Bryce's skull with all his might. He did it again and again, until Emily finally snapped out of her shock and tried to stop Ulquiorra. The sound of Bryce's crushed skull echoed into the night.

"_Must, must kill_," Ulquiorra murmured over and over again. Something had snapped inside him when he was being beaten by Bryce. Somewhere in his mind, he switched from being Ulquiorra the human to being Ulquiorra the hollow. His eyes darkened from green into an almost black, and his nostrils flared with fury. In his mind he was Murciélago and Bryce was his enemy. Aizen had ordered him to kill this pathetic being. He had to be destroyed. He continued to hit Bryce with the large rock until finally Emily managed to pull away one of his arms, the bloodied rock falling onto the sidewalk.

"Oh god…" Emily's voice quivered as she stared at the wreckage of Bryce's body. His head was indistinguishable from the pool of blood underneath him. His dark hair was matted against battered flesh, and his face was unrecognizable. Emily didn't need to even touch his body to know he was dead. "Jesus, what am I supposed to do?" Emily whispered as she kneeled by her dead brother's body. She reached out, like she was going to shake him awake somehow, but a noise stopped her. It was Ulquiorra. He was off to the side of the street on his hands and knees vomiting.

"Ulquiorra!" Emily screeched, suddenly remembering her damaged boyfriend. She scurried over to where he knelt and helped hold his shoulders back while he hurled what remained of his dinner onto the sidewalk. When it seemed his body was finally giving him a reprieve, Ulquiorra sat back on his legs. He was out of breath from vomiting. His body was shivering. It felt like his very core had been destroyed. Emily wrapped him in a hug.

"Shhh…it's alright, it's alright, it's just me," she whispered. She held his shaking body. She recognized that something was wrong with Ulquiorra. Perhaps it was the abuse he suffered as a child or something having to do with his dark past, but she knew that Bryce's actions had brought forth horrible memories that were breaking him apart mentally. She had almost forgotten about her brother until they heard a hushed gasp.

"My GOD!" A woman screamed, seeing the horrific bloodied sight. It took only one second for her to survey the dead body, the pool of blood, the rock near Ulquiorra's hand, and the blood all over Ulquiorra's clothes to know what had happened. The woman turned around and ran, her heels clicking over the sidewalk. "HELP! POLICE! HELP! ANYONE!" The woman yelled, her voice echoing off the tall buildings of New York. In that moment, Ulquiorra blinked and suddenly he was back into his own body. Everything was so red. Warm liquid filled his hands and his shirt was damp with the same redness. The sight before him scared and appalled him.

"Did I do that?" He whispered as he stared at Bryce's dead body.

"We both did…" Emily said with realization. They had both killed Bryce. It hadn't been just Ulquiorra. She had thrown the first blow with the rock. She had killed her brother.

Ulquiorra's eyes grew large as he continued to stare at the body.

"Oh my god, we killed my brother," Emily started crying. Her voice was a whispery rasp; her breath hiccupped every so often as sobs shook her chest. Tears were streaming down her face. She wiped them away with a dirty bloodied hand. Through her shock and fear though, a wave of self-preservation came over her.

"We have to get him out here," Emily said suddenly, her voice shaking.

"What?" Ulquiorra could not comprehend.

"We…we have to move him…put him somewhere else until we figure out what to do with him."

"Emily…" Ulquiorra could not think straight. They had committed a serious crime. He understood that much. There would be serious punishments from the humans, but even more serious ones from Soul Society.

"Quick, grab his body," Emily directed as she ran over to the Jaguar that was parked nearby. She opened the back door and ran back to where Bryce laid. "Help me get his body into the car."

"No," Ulquiorra said, his eyes widening. He watched her pick up one of Bryce's legs. She started tugging him toward the car, making almost no progress. "No. No. No. I have to get Urahara…" Ulquiorra murmured to himself.

"Who?" Emily said. "Ulquiorra! Help me get his body into the car. We can figure out what to do afterwards. They're going to get the police and put you and me in jail, do you understand?"

"Why are you doing this?" Ulquiorra asked, becoming more confused. "I just killed your brother. You should hate me," his voice wavered. He blinked several times trying to get rid of the splitting headache that was coming on. It only made the headache worse though. Everything around him was spinning. Suddenly a loud piercing ring started echoing throughout his head. One of the punches must have landed on his ear. Ulquiorra could feel blood dripping from the cartilage of his left ear.

Emily stopped trying to move Bryce and turned around to stare at Ulquiorra. Her eyes looked distant and glassy with tears.

"I could never hate you. I love you, Ulquiorra. So. Much." She stated through gritted teeth. "You're the only person who's ever really loved me."

"That's not love," Ulquiorra automatically stated underneath his breath. She didn't hear him. She had returned to trying to move Bryce's body.

_Where did that thought come from?_ He asked himself. What did he know about love? Her reasoning did not make any sort of logical sense. He knew very little about love. He was not entirely human, but he knew that you did not kill for love. He had learned from his hollow ways that killing wasn't love. After his fight with Ichigo, when Orihime reached out for his hand…that was love.

"Ulquiorra, come help me!" Emily commanded. She had never made such a demand in her life, but suddenly here she was taking charge of the situation.

He didn't know what to do. If he didn't help her, she would only get in more trouble. Yet, hiding the body would cause more trouble wouldn't it? Everything in his brain was whirling. He couldn't form a single thought that was clear. He needed more time. He needed to sit down and wait for that ringing in his ear to stop screaming. He needed to be able to form one clear thought. In the distance, they could hear the sound of sirens approaching. A shiver went down Ulquiorra's spine as reality began to dawn. If they did not do something now, it was over for them.

Ulquiorra finally stood up and hobbled over to where Bryce's body laid. He reached down and grabbed Bryce's other leg. They pulled his bloodied body across the sidewalk, dragging the red stains with them. It was difficult, but they managed to slowly lift and shove him into the back seat of the Jaguar. The keys had been left in the ignition and Emily hopped into the driver's seat, directing Ulquiorra to get inside the car. Ulquiorra had no choice, he didn't want to be left behind alone. He walked around to the other side of the car and got into the passenger seat. It was only a few minutes before Emily drove away from the crime scene.

There was no way they were going to get away with this. There were witnesses, there was blood, there was a car and a body. A million thoughts ran through Ulquiorra's mind as Emily drove at lightning speed out of the city. What would Soul Society do when they found out? Would they only punish him or would it affect the other Espada as well?

"Where are we going?" Ulquiorra asked from the passenger seat.

"There's a bridge I…I know. I used to play there. Nobody knows about it but me," Emily explained. Clearly, she had formed an idea in her mind without sharing it with Ulquiorra.

"And what are we to do when we get there?" Ulquiorra asked, a nauseating feeling coming over him as he thought about the idea of a bridge. Emily didn't respond. She only kept driving. There was no sense of time, but it felt like hours before Emily finally turned off onto a dirt path that led through dark woods. Ulquiorra could hear the sound of cracking twigs and bouncing rocks as the low-bearing sedan made its way through the rough road. It was pitch black outside except for the glow of the car's headlights.

"This land belongs to my father," Emily finally explained. "Nobody will look here."

It was twenty more minutes before they finally cleared the woods and came upon a bridge that went over rushing water. It was so dark out, Ulquiorra couldn't quite see what kind of body of water it was: a river, a pond, a lake? The sound of the water was so loud. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he could make out the lines of the tall bridge. The nauseated feeling became even worse, making Ulquiorra feel like he would throw up again. Images flashed in his brain_. Another bridge. Another night._ Why were there memories coming back to him about another bridge on another night?

"Help me take his body over to the bridge," Emily said as she parked the car in front of the bridge. Ulquiorra looked up at her, snapping out of the dark reverie he was having.

"What?"

"We'll dump his body in the river. Nobody will find it." Emily opened the driver's side door as she stepped around the other side of the car.

"Ulquiorra?" She called, turning back to him.

"I can't," he said.

"What do you mean?" Emily asked. "We have to. We have to get rid of his body. Ulquiorra they will find us!"

"I can't go near that river," Ulquiorra stated. His face was pale and stoic, hiding his deepest fears. A thin sheen of sweat had formed on his forehead. His hair was damp with the sweat and crusted with blood. This was too familiar. The rushing water. The car's engine running so loudly. The impending doom. Even the sound of crickets was haunting. "I can't go near that river," he whispered again. She could see his shoulders shaking. Emily returned to the driver's side seat and leaned over to Ulquiorra. She wrapped her arms around him holding him tightly. He rested his bloodied head against her shoulders. He could feel her tears on his cheeks.

"It's…it's going to be okay," her voice whispered. "I'll take care of this, okay?" She pulled back enough to meet his gaze in the dark. "We'll…we'll get through this somehow."

"I didn't know you could be this strong," he observed quietly. It wasn't meant to be a compliment. This was a side of her he was not admiring. How she was fabricating these ideas was beyond his comprehension. He was still in shock. His mind was leaving these woods, this river, this bridge and returning to the bloodied scene they had left behind. He was still stuck in the past. He could not rush forward the way she was doing.

"I…I…" her mind spun quickly as she tried to think of a solution. The car's engine got louder as they had left it on for too long. "I'll drive the car into the river."

"What? NO!" He nearly shouted, jumping a little at the idea of her drowning in the water.

"Calm down," she stated evenly. She rested her hands on his shoulders, trying to stop him from shaking. "I'll…I'll put the car in neutral and we can push the car into the river. It's deep and the waters are strong."

"We cannot leave his dead body in the water," he stated through gritted teeth. He wasn't sure why, but it seemed like the most cruel thing they could do to Bryce's body

"It's the only option we have," she said, her voice hoarse from all the crying. She left the driver's seat and walked around the car to Ulquiorra's side. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion. Ulquiorra watched as Emily opened his door and took his hand in hers. She led him out of the car. His feet were lost in the tall brush that surrounded them. He was surprised he didn't stumble as Emily led him away from the car and away from the river. She led him far enough that he began to hear the sound of the water fading. She must have seen how nervous the water had made him. That or she knew he couldn't bear to see the car disappear into the river.

"Wait right here, ok?" She said quietly, briefly touching his shoulders. Ulquiorra nodded absently. He could see the taillights of the car glowing like red orbs. His vision was getting blurry. He could hear the sound of Emily's footsteps as she disappeared from him. He heard the thud of the car door closing. The engine roared and then the red orbs got smaller and smaller. For the briefest moment everything was dead silent. The red orbs were gone. Even the crickets seemed to stop chirping. Then, suddenly there was a loud SPLASH followed by the low groan of metal scraping against rocks. Another loud splash and then it was silent again. It hadn't quite dawned on Ulquiorra what happened until he heard Emily's footsteps and ragged breathing again. She appeared next to him and reached out to gently touch his shoulder.

"Ulquiorra?" She asked tentatively, as if she wasn't sure he was really there despite the physical proof in her hands.

"STOP RIGHT THERE!" A loud male voice boomed. Both Emily and Ulquiorra jumped at the sound of another human voice. They heard the crunching of twigs and dings of rocks as they hit metal. Headlights made their way towards them, blinding both Emily and Ulquiorra with its brightness. The car came to a stop, the engine left running. They heard two doors open and shut. As Ulquiorra's eyesight adjusted to the headlights being pointed right at them, he saw two shadows approach.

"Oh my god," Emily swore underneath her breath as she reached for Ulquiorra's hand. She squeezed it tightly as her body shivered with fear. She was sure it was the police. The police had found them.

Instead of an officer dressed in a police uniform approaching them they saw a tall skinny man in brown linen pants and a brown kimono top. His eyes were shaded from view by a green and white striped bucket hat. Emily could see strands of blonde hair sticking out from underneath the hat.

"That's enough for tonight," the man said in a cool tone. "Ulquiorra, are you alright?"

"You know him?" Emily gasped as she shot her boyfriend a shocked stare. She squeezed his hand even tighter in hers. Ulquiorra was still squinting from the bright lights aimed at them.

"No. No, I am not. But that's alright," Ulquiorra said dully. It was only a matter of time before they arrived. Ulquiorra was surprised it took them this long to even show up.

"Here's what's going to happen. Yoruichi here is going to drive both of you home. Ulquiorra, you will pack your bags and leave tonight for England. There will be an internship waiting for you there. You, Emily, will continue your life as if you know nothing of what's happened tonight. Your brother will most likely be reported as missing and you will bear the great burden of remaining silent while they search for him. They will not find your brother's body, but you will keep silent about this because you love Ulquiorra," Urahara stated solemnly, his voice practically echoing with command. "If you speak a word of what happened here tonight, it is not your fate you shall have to worry about, it will be his. Do you understand me?"

"Yes," Ulquiorra replied, pulling his hand from Emily's.

"Good. Now get in the car," Urahara said, noting that Emily did not say anything. Ulquiorra walked away from Emily and toward the car.

"Come, Emily," Ulquiorra said quietly as he opened the passenger side door of Yoruichi's car.

"It's nice to see you, Ulquiorra," Yoruichi murmured as she turned back and got into the driver's seat.

"Come along, Emily," Urahara encouraged when Emily did not move from her spot.

"How…how do you know my name?" Emily asked as she took her first few steps toward the car.

"We know the names of everyone who is important to Ulquiorra."

* * *

_**Present Day**_

Ulquiorra sat in his office chair fiddling with a ring in his hand. It was a round brilliant cut two carat diamond set on a band of platinum. It was a size 5.5 and sparkling in the light of his desk lamp. It was flawless, clear, colorless, the perfect diamond. He could not have gotten anything better for Orihime. It was just too bad she didn't want it.

"_And what happened to Emily after you left for England?"_

"_She tried to contact me for days and days. I had no idea what was going on in New York. They sent me to a remote village in Scotland right away to do research for a project. I had no access to the media, but I couldn't have followed the story of her missing brother anyways. Soul Society wouldn't have let me. They cleaned the whole story up. There was no evidence at the crime scene. The only evidence of foul play was the fact that Bryce was missing. I didn't know about Emily until it was too late…" Ulquiorra explained. _

"_Until what was too late?" Orihime asked, frowning._

"_Emily killed herself," Ulquiorra said, his voice sounding flat and lifeless. _

The memory of the information getting passed onto him through Urahara had caused him to shiver. He had tried his best to hide that he was affected by the memory of another woman, but Orihime had seen the shiver. She had seen how pale Ulquiorra had gotten as he told the story, and she swore over and over again that she wasn't saying no to the proposal because of the truth he had told her about Emily.

"_I can't be the reason that you stay Ulquiorra. I know that if I say yes, you will stay for me, and I don't want it to be about me. I want you to stay because you think it's the right thing to do. I will be here for you no matter what choice you make. If you decide to stay, I will be right here waiting for you. If you decide to go, I will support you."_

"_We won't see each other ever again…" he said, unsure if she understood the ramifications of his choice._

"_I know, but if it's the right thing to do…if it's what's right for your soul, then I want every happiness for you." _

Orihime had left before Ulquiorra could even bring up the fact that he had gotten her a ring.

* * *

Thanks to everyone who left reviews! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Music and comments at my livejournal.

Thank you to starlight for catching a mistake I made in the last chapter about the color of Orihime's eyes :)

Just a special note: if this story manages to get deleted (as we know this is happening to stories with M ratings) I'm going to start posting the rest of the chapters at my livejournal: mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com. I'll also announce on there if I decide to migrate to another place in order to host this story. So check the livejournal if you come read this story and find that it's been deleted. Let's cross our fingers and hope that doesn't happen though...


	24. Chapter 24: The Second Forgiveness

**Chapter 24: The Second Forgiveness**

Urahara sat on a stool at Chad's bar sipping green tea. The tea was an odd drink choice for sure- in fact, Chad wasn't even sure he had any tea at all at first, but Urahara needed to keep an eye on the children and the drink gave him a good excuse to be at the bar.

"Say…Chad, it's quite quiet in here isn't it?" Urahara asked as he took a sip. The steam from the hot water tickled the tip of his nose while the temperature soothed his tongue.

"It's 7:00 AM," Chad responded. He was behind the counter mopping up the wooden floors.

"Yes, well I was here last night and it was just as quiet- that's my observation. It's as quiet here at 11:00 PM as it is at 7:00 AM."

"That's kind of a backward observation, isn't it?" Chad sighed, wiping a drop of sweat from his brow. He wasn't sure why, but his patience had been wearing thin lately. Perhaps it was the stress of the recent events…perhaps it was the fact that certain friends of his and a certain group of Espada never seemed to leave his bar…perhaps it was the fact that he missed Karin…no matter the reason, Chad was feeling impatient- and Chad never felt impatient. Theoretically, it was almost impossible for someone like Urahara, of all people, to make him feel impatient.

"I suppose you're right. I made the observation that business seemed slow last night, but I didn't get a chance to tell you," Urahara continued conversationally.

"Well thank you for passing on that observation. I shall keep it in mind," Chad responded.

"Say Chad…was that sarcasm I heard in your voice?"

"Perhaps," Chad sighed again. "I apologize. I do not mean to offend you."

"Oh, no no no!" Urahara chuckled. "Please, it should be me apologizing. I don't mean to irritate you. I'll stop pestering you with my silly observations if I am bothering you."

Chad looked at the skinny man wearing a striped bucket hat inside his bar. _Has he ever taken that hat off?_ Chad wondered to himself as he squinted with thought. It was indeed 7:00 AM and Chad hadn't gotten a wink of sleep all night. At first it was Tatsuki and Starrk, then came Nnoitra and Grimmjow, and then came Renji and Urahara. None of them seemed to show any inclination of leaving, even when Chad politely informed them that he was closing the bar. They barely batted an eye when Chad explained that it was illegal for him to serve alcohol after a certain hour. _"It's not like we've got anywhere else to go!"_ Renji had said with a shrug. Chad just gave in. Reason told him that these were stressful times, and people often coped with stress by drinking. Reason also told him that people coped with boredom by drinking as well. Tatsuki, Starrk, Nnoitra, Grimmjow, and Renji were indeed all stressed and bored out of their minds. The least Chad could do was provide a haven for them to rest at. Urahara, however, seemed neither stressed nor bored. In fact, with the slightest smile on his face, Urahara seemed to be enjoying himself.

"It's alright," Chad said rubbing his forehead. "I've had a long night. I don't mind your company. I just may not have much to say right now." He set aside the mop he had been using to clean up the floor and reached for an empty glass from the shelf behind him. It was 7:00 AM. _What the hell,_ Chad thought to himself as he poured himself a mug of beer.

"Business been slow lately?" Urahara asked, sipping his tea. Chad responded by grunting in agreement and taking a deep gulp of his beer. The drink was cold and refreshing, like taking a jump in a lake in the early morning.

"Well you know my business closed down- complications with everything that's been going on, you must understand. After creating the new hōgyoku, there wasn't much I could salvage."

"What are you suggesting, Urahara?" Chad raised a thick eyebrow as he drank his beer.

"I wondered if you might be interested in having a silent business partner."

"That depends, what do I have to be silent about?" Chad quipped. Urahara laughed loudly, nearly falling off his stool

"This is why I like you so much, Chad!" The joyful blonde man managed to say. Chad did not laugh. He found nothing funny about the conversation they were having. Yes, his business was suffering quite a bit. Yes, he needed some financial support. The banks had been calling recently, and Chad had gotten to the point where he was evading the phone calls. This wasn't something to jest about. This was his business- a business he had built from the ground up. This was his livelihood. Of course he needed the help. Chad was too aware of the costs though. There was nothing funny about the risks Chad would take on by letting Urahara become his partner.

"It would remain your business," Urahara explained, his face turning serious. "You wouldn't even know I'm here."

"I assume you'd want to expand the storage in my basement though?" Chad asked.

"Perhaps a bit…I won't know until I see its size."

"I doubt it was anything like what you had before," Chad muttered into his mug of beer. He kept his gaze lowered, not wanting to be lured by the idea of salvation.

"I doubt so as well, but that's beside the point. This is a serious offer, Chad. I think we could help each other."

Chad didn't respond for a long moment. His large brown eyes darkened with thought as he considered the offer. Urahara waited patiently, sipping his green tea that was slowly growing lukewarm.

"I'll think about it," Chad finally said. "I need time."

"Everyone does," Urahara said. There was something deathly serious about his tone. "There isn't that much time though, is there?" No. There wasn't. The banks would not wait. Chad cleared his throat.

"I'll give you an answer by the end of the day," he promised.

"Very well," Urahara said, smiling. "I look forward to it."

Chad set his empty mug of beer down on the back counter and picked up his mop again.

"You'll have to excuse me. I've got some work I need to get done in the back. Will you let me know if anyone needs anything…?" Chad paused. "Never mind, if people need something they will help themselves." The only people around were Nnoitra, Grimmjow and Urahara. Renji had left over an hour ago and the sign on the door outside said 'closed,' who would be coming in that needed to be helped anyways?

"Of course, as your business partner I'd watch your bar any time you needed," Urahara said with a grin. Chad merely shook his head and sighed before pushing open the back door and disappearing into the storage room.

Urahara was definitely enjoying himself. After months of seclusion and limited company, he finally had a chance to be out and about. He also truly enjoyed spending time with Ichigo and his friends- it brought back some fond memories. Urahara was lifting his mug so he could finish drinking his tea when the front door opened and he heard the footsteps of another visitor. Urahara turned around expecting Renji again, or Nel, or even Ichigo. He was surprised to see that it was Ulquiorra.

"Good morning, Ulquiorra!" Urahara called out cheerfully. "Come join the fun!"

Ulquiorra glowered at the blonde man but walked swiftly over to his side.

"Good morning, Urahara," Ulquiorra stated formally. "I was told I would find you here."

"By who?" Urahara raised an eyebrow.

"Grimmjow."

Urahara looked over at Grimmjow and Nnoitra who were both busy playing pool. They had started a collection of empty liquor bottles at a nearby table and were slowly adding to the collection.

"I texted him, asking about your location," Ulquiorra explained.

"Ah, I see," Urahara nodded as he got up. "In that case, is there something I can get you to drink? Scotch?"

"It's 7:00 AM," Ulquiorra stated blankly.

"That didn't stop those two," Urahara commented, nodding in Grimmjow and Nnoitra's direction. Nel would have said "Oh dear!" upon observing the two men drinking and playing pool so early in the morning. Starrk would have given them a repressive glance and returned to his drinking. But Ulquiorra merely made eye contact with the two other men and gave them a brief nod of acknowledge.

"So what will it be?" Urahara asked as he stepped around to the bartender's side of the counter. Ulquiorra's gaze ran over the colored bottles of liquor on the shelf behind Urahara. He sat down on one of the bar stools.

"Ah…I think I will have some green tea," he finally said as he settled into his seat.

"Great choice," Urahara commented, winking at Ulquiorra. "So, what can I help you with today?"

"Pardon?"

"You came looking for me, did you not?" Urahara said as he began to prepare Ulquiorra's tea. "I can only assume you have a specific purpose, otherwise you would not have sought me out so resolutely."

"I do have some questions," Ulquiorra said quietly. He stared down at the grain of the wooden counter before him. Running his fingers across the grain of the wood, he pondered what exactly he wanted to ask Urahara. He definitely had questions for the man. The questions had pulled him out of his office and across town to a bar at 7:00 AM. The questions were persistent and nagging, but Ulquiorra could not figure out what the questions were exactly. He wasn't sure what he needed to know from Urahara, only that he felt there was a missing piece in the puzzle.

"I'm all ears," Urahara replied as he grabbed a clear coffee mug from the shelf for Ulquiorra's tea.

"What…" Ulquiorra began as he sought out the right words. He waited a long pause before he gave up and finally asked, "Is there any other way?"

"Is there any other way?" Urahara repeated, arching an eyebrow underneath the brim of his hat.

"Yes."

"Theoretically, yes."

"Tell me more," Ulquiorra said firmly. He set his lips in a thin line. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on its ends. There was another way, _another way he could still be with Orihime._

"It's damn near impossible," Urahara explained as he set the hot steaming tea in front Ulquiorra. The tall thin man leaned against the back counter of the bar and crossed a leg in front of the other. "The goal is to have a way for you to resolve the unfinished business you have with your prior human life. As an Espada, you were so far removed from the reasons behind why you became a hollow in the first place that there's just no way of purifying your soul the way we would with normal hollows. Obviously, you remember nothing about your prior human life?"

Ulquiorra thought about the bridge that haunted him. He waited a moment before responding.

"No, I don't."

"The only way to find peace is to somehow remember how you died in your prior life as a human and make peace with that death. Only then can you live out the rest of your current human life properly," Urahara explained coolly. Ulquiorra touched the outside of the mug with the very tips of his fingers. He could feel the heat travel from the tips of his fingers into the center of his hand. He stared down at his mug of tea, thinking about the bridge that haunted him so much. It did seem impossible.

"I do remember one thing, but it's only one thing," Ulquiorra began.

"Oh?" Urahara raised both eyebrows. He crossed his arms over his chest and observed the young dark haired man in front him.

"A bridge…I remember a bridge…but that is all," Ulquiorra confessed in an almost whisper.

"Well that is something," Urahara nodded. Urahara had always admired Ulquiorra's sense of personal insight. Ulquiorra always seemed to understand himself better than the other Espada. Nel never seemed to realize that her crippling flaw was her neediness for others. She needed to take care of others and she needed them to take care of her. She was nothing without another person to fret over. Grimmjow, Nnoitra, and Starrk were all the same. Grimmjow never questioned why he loved to fight so much. He never realized that his love of destruction motivated his every action and that he would never be happy unless he could destroy everything in his path. Nnoitra could never see that his hatred for everything else on earth could only come from a paralyzing self-hatred. Starrk never realized that his eternal loneliness came from the fact that he never truly let anyone into his heart. Ulquiorra was different though. Ulquiorra had dedicated his life to understanding himself. He had built a career upon questioning why he did the things he did and why he could not get beyond them. Perhaps it would not be impossible for Ulquiorra after all.

"Ulquiorra, I must warn you, you must only pursue this if you think you can figure out your human death. There is not a lot of time and your fellow Espada are waiting on you."

"Starrk and Nel haven't made their choices yet," Ulquiorra pointed out. He lifted the mug of tea up to his lips and nearly burned his tongue on the hot liquid.

"Oh, but they will very soon," Urahara said knowingly.

* * *

Orihime knocked loudly on Tatsuki's apartment door. Her knocks were swift and decisive. Orihime knew that she needed to make as much noise as possible since Tatsuki was such a heavy sleeper. She stood in the building's hallway and waited in the dim and flickering light. Despite the fact that Tatsuki made a good salary as a university soccer coach, she preferred bleak living arrangements. The hallway of the building was littered with trash and the walls were covered in graffiti. In a distance, Orihime could hear the sound of sirens and someone's car alarm going off. Orihime could sympathize with Tatsuki situation though. It was easy to maintain such an austere apartment due to the fact that she was almost never home− being a soccer coach meant being on the road about fifty percent of the time. Orihime was also never home since she spent so much time at the hospital.

"Open up, honnie! It's a bright and sunny day outside!" Orihime called cheerfully as she gave another loud knock. She heard shuffling noises from inside the apartment and a low moan that didn't sound like Tatsuki at all. "Hello?" Orihime called.

"I'm coming!" A muffled yell came out. Tatsuki opened the front door with the full force of her irritation. It was 7:00 AM. Who the hell woke up so early?

"Hi! I brought bagels," Orihime explained as she raised the paper bag she was holding in her hands. Tatsuki wore her grey robe over an old soccer jersey and a pair of grey shorts. Her hair was mussed into several directions from sleeping. She rubbed an eye while she yawned.

"Jesus Christ, Orihime. It's so early," Tatsuki muttered, having great difficulty hiding her annoyance. Unlike Tatsuki, Orihime was completely dressed for the day. She wore a pair of old jeans and a pink t-shirt underneath a purple cardigan. Her black peacoat was unbuttoned and she had an old green scarf carelessly tossed around her neck.

"I'm sorry, I just thought I'd come over and we could have bagels and coffee like we used to. I even brought those little cups of different flavored cream cheese. I've got that salmon flavor I just know you love," Orihime teased as she brushed aside her best friend and breezed into the apartment. Orihime's jaw nearly dropped to the floor when Starrk walked out of the kitchen door. He was half naked, wearing only his jeans and was in the middle of pulling on his shirt.

"Ms. Inoue," Starrk murmured as he cleared his throat awkwardly. Orihime didn't respond. Her eyes were huge as she looked from Starrk to Tatsuki and back again. "I should get going. Ahh…I'll call you later." Starrk walked swiftly passed both ladies without making any eye contact. He pulled his car keys from his pocket and fumbled with them as he disappeared through the front door.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Orihime cried. She dropped her bag of bagels and hid her face in the palms of her hands. "I had no idea…I wouldn't have barged in like this if I knew Starrk…er…if I knew you had a guest over." Tatsuki watched her friend's mortification. Her irritation melted and turned into sympathy. She could already see Orihime's cheeks turning pink. She sighed loudly and stomped over to where Orihime stood.

"Oh get over it you silly goose," Tatsuki said. She bent over and picked up the dropped bag of bagels. "Now what flavors of cream cheese did you get that won't make me vomit." Orihime peaked at her friend through her fingers.

"You have to tell me everything," Orihime said in her most serious tone. She followed Tatsuki from the main living room into the kitchen. Tatsuki set the bag of bagels on her kitchen counter then busied herself by making coffee.

"There's not much to tell unfortunately," Tatsuki explained, her voice riddled with longing.

"Was it good?" Orihime gushed as she rushed over to Tatsuki's side. Tatsuki opened one of the top cabinets and pulled out a can of coffee grounds. She paused thoughtfully as she reviewed the events of the night.

"No…" Tatsuki decided. "It was kind of awful in its own way."

"What? How?" Orihime asked with faked shock. She secretly knew that Tatsuki and Starrk sleeping together was nothing but a disaster waiting to happen, but she had to play the supportive friend role- especially since she needed Tatsuki to be a supportive friend for her later on.

"Well the sex itself was fine…" Tatsuki said as she opened up the can of coffee grounds and started scooping tablespoons of it into her coffee maker. "Renji showed up last night at the bar and…I don't know what went wrong with me. I suddenly suggested to Starrk that we leave and then suddenly we were at my place just…making out."

"So…you did it to spite Renji?"

"No…" Tatsuki sighed loudly once more. "I did it to get his attention probably. God, I'm pathetic."

"No!" Orihime said automatically. "Not at all, please, I can't be judgmental. Remember how I slept with Ulquiorra on the first date?"

"Not the same, Orihime," Tatsuki muttered as she turned on the coffee maker. "You and Ulquiorra were meant to be. Starrk and I are just using each other to get back at Renji and Nel."

"How do you know he's just getting back at N…awww thanks!" Orihime stopped midsentence when she realized what Tatsuki had just admitted. "Do you really think Ulquiorra and I are meant to be?" She knit her eyebrows together and chewed on her lower lip.

"Having slept with an Espada myself, I can now tell you that they are as human as human can get," Tatsuki said ruefully. "I hope you can forgive me for the way I acted when you and Ulquiorra first started seeing each other. I don't think I ever fully apologized. I see how you two looked at each other now …it's not the same way Starrk looks at me. Not even close. We're just…distractions for one another."

"Well…thank you for believing in Ulquiorra and me," Orihime said quietly as she turned around so she could lean back against the kitchen counter. "I don't think there's much hope for us though…"

"He'll make the right decision, Orihime," Tatsuki said, reaching out and rubbing her friends' arm.

"And what decision is that?"

"To be with you of course!" Tatsuki shook her head as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"I don't think that's likely to happen," Orihime said as she felt her mood lowering into a quiet depression. Tatsuki didn't know desolate she had felt after she had told Ulquiorra she couldn't marry him. It was one of the hardest things she had ever done, especially after having heard the story about Emily.

"Why do you say that?" Tatsuki asked as she reached for the bag of bagels once more.

"He proposed and then I turned him down," Orihime said, staring up at the ceiling. "I don't know what's wrong with me. Two wonderful men propose to me and I say no to them both."

"Don't talk like that," Tatsuki said quickly. She frowned at her friend.

"It's true. It's not them, it's me," Orihime said simply.

"That doesn't make sense, what exactly is wrong with you? The Orihime I know seems to be in working order," Tatsuki chastised. She pulled out a bagel and sniffed it, relishing the smell of the freshly baked good. Orihime covered her face with her hands and shook her head.

"The Orihime you know is broken. She used her powers without meaning to and then when her friends needed her to use her power she couldn't."

"That's another matter, darling," Tatsuki said, setting aside the bagel. She grabbed both of Orihime's arms and pulled her hands off her face. "Listen to me, I know it seems like there's a lot of stuff that's out of your control right now, but everything is going to be okay. Your powers are probably still intact. You were just stressed, that's all. It's probably hard to focus and perform on demand in such a stressful situation. Honestly, I didn't think it was fair of Ichigo to do that to you anyway."

Orihime shook her head again.

"I just feel like I let everyone down. I let down Ichigo, and then I let down Ulquiorra when I said no to his proposal."

"Even if you did use your powers it wouldn't have changed anything. We know that now that the truth's come out," Tatsuki reasoned.

"That doesn't change the fact that I couldn't do it…" Orihime sighed. She grabbed the bagel that Tatsuki had set aside and reached for the drawer next to her. She pulled out a knife from the drawer and began to carefully cut the bagel in half.

"I bet it will come back to you when you least expect it," Tatsuki said, offering Orihime a small smile. Orihime passed the bagel that had been cut in half over to Tatsuki.

"Thanks…I guess. So you didn't finish telling me your story. What exactly happened with Starrk?" Orihime asked as she reached into the paper bag for the next bagel. Tatsuki ran a hand through her mussed hair and sighed deeply.

"Oh, Orihime, it was awful," Tatsuki began. Orihime nodded in encouragement as she slowly cut the bagel in her hand in half. "We woke up this morning, both of us hung over, and I thought maybe morning sex would feel better than what we did last night. He hugged me and then said Nel's name in my ear!"

Orihime gasped, nearly cutting herself with the knife.

"WHAT? No way!" Orihime exclaimed, her eyes large with shock.

"I immediately jumped out of bed and had to let him know it wasn't Nel he was holding."

"Well yeah, I would have done the same thing."

"He's still in love with his ex-wife," Tatsuki said in a quieter voice. She took the cut bagel from Orihime's hands.

"Unfortunately, it seems that's becoming more and more obvious…I'm sorry, Tatuski. Do you really like him?"

"Not that much. I mean, he's fascinating and exciting in a way, but I get the sense that he's not that into me. He doesn't make me feel like Renji makes me feel…like I'm actually special or something," Tatsuki said. She paused, thinking over what she had just said and then rolled her eyes. "God, listen to me. I must sound so pathetic."

"No you don't, not at all," Orihime said understandingly. "You are special to Renji. Everyone can see that. He looks at you in that special way…"

"You're using the word special too much. Ugh, God, I wish I hadn't brought up that stupid 's' word."

"Do you think Ulquiorra looks at me like I'm special?"

"Uh, duh! Yes, of course he does. Why are you even asking that," Tatsuki scowled.

"What's wrong with us? Why can't we just let the men we love be in love with us?" Orihime asked. The coffee machine beeped loudly, letting both girls know the coffee was ready.

"Renji doesn't love me," Tatsuki said blandly.

"You just said he looks at you like you're special."

"I know, but that might just be my wishful thinking," Tatsuki shrugged. She pulled out a little cup of cream cheese from the paper bag and grabbed a knife from the drawer next to her. The cream cheese was pink, letting Tatsuki know it was strawberry flavored. She spread the cream cheese over her bagel while silence temporarily hung between her and Orihime.

"That does it," Orihime stated firmly. "You're going to talk to Renji today!"

"What?" Tatsuki blinked as she took a bite of her bagel and cream cheese.

"It's time you and Renji got together and talked all this out. I'm going to lock you two in the same room if I have to!" Orihime declared.

"Oh geeze," Tatsuki muttered as she rubbed the palm of her hand against her forehead. "Maybe you're right…I don't know why I keep torturing myself like this."

"See! Let's pack up these bagels and head over to Rukia's house. He's got to be either hanging out there or Chad's bar," Orihime said cheerfully.

"I doubt he'd be at a bar this early," Tatsuki pointed out.

"You never know," Orihime added as she started packing up the bagels. The girls poured their coffee into travel mugs and finished eating the bagels they had already put cream cheese on. Orihime wandered around Tatsuki's messy apartment while the taller dark-haired girl went and showered and got dressed for the day. Tatsuki had several built-in bookshelves in her living room. Many of the shelves held trophies from various soccer and karate tournaments, but one shelf in particular held photographs from their high school days. Orihime couldn't help but smile as she picked up one particular framed picture of her and Tatsuki. It was after one of Tatsuki's soccer tournament, and Orihime was wearing a pink flowered skirt and a white t-shirt. Tatsuki, of course, was wearing her bright yellow and blue soccer uniform. Orihime had her arm draped around Tatsuki's shoulders and was grinning broadly. The two girls looked young and so very happy. _How could I have ever doubted our friendship?_ Orihime thought to herself, feeling validated. Tatsuki's friendship meant more than anything to her. The fact that they briefly lost touch because of a man was almost tragic.

"Okay! Ready to go!" Tatsuki called as she emerged from her bedroom. She had thrown on a black t-shirt and her old denim jacket. She quickly tied a scarf around her neck. "I heard it's actually supposed to be nice out for a change."

Orihime nodded.

"Yeah, it was sunny when I came inside," Orihime said smiling. "Do you remember this picture?" She asked. She showed the photograph to Tatsuki.

"Oh yeahhh, that was the day my team won the regional tournament. Wow, that seems so long ago now," Tatsuki laughed. "I can't believe I'd forgotten about that day when the picture was sitting on my wall the whole time.

"I know," Orihime nodded, laughing as well. "I can't believe I forgot about it as well."

It didn't take long for the two girls to gather their belongings and head out into the bright sunny day. Since Orihime had driven to Tatsuki's apartment, they agreed to drive Orihime's car over to Rukia's house.

"You'd be surprised how well she's been behaving lately," Orihime explained, referring to her car. They'd been already driving on one of the main highways that circled the city for over fifteen minutes. Orihime was extremely proud that her car had decided to stop making that knocking noise it had been making the last few times she'd driven it. "She's been barely acting up!"

Tatsuki just shook her head.

"I don't know, Orihime. Everyone keeps saying it's time for you to just buy a new car," Tatsuki chided as she pulled on her aviator sunglasses.

"You guys need to have some faith," Orihime quickly responded. "Plus, let's not get into how I can't afford to buy a new car. I barely have any savings for a down payment on a used car."

"Well maybe you should consider a lease then?" Tatsuki suggested.

At that moment, both ladies heard the loud honking noise of a semi-truck. Orihime had briefly a few seconds to see the oncoming semi-truck swerve in its lane before it suddenly slid head on into her lane. Orihime grabbed the steering wheel with both hands and jerked the car to the right. The car hit the low shoulder of the road and flew into the side ravine. Orihime heard the sound of screeching tires before everything went black.

* * *

Orihime wasn't sure how long it had been since the car landed. The airbags had inflated and there was smoke everywhere. She coughed loudly as she flailed against the airbags, trying her best to get it out of her face. There was a ringing in her ear and the car alarm honking was only making the ringing worse. Her right upper arm hurt the most, and that was when she realized that she was laying almost entirely on her right side. She tried to open her eyes as wide as possible, despite the smoke, so she could examine her situation. It was clear that the car had landed on its right side and was slowly sinking into the muddied ravine. Orihime tried to shift her weight, but it only caused a sharp jab of paint in her right arm. Suddenly it dawned on her: the car had landed on its right side, the passenger side. Where was Tatsuki? Orihime whipped her head to the side to look at the passenger seat, which was now empty.

"Stay right where you are!" A masculine voice called out to her. "Don't move! We're gonna try to get you out of there."

Orihime tried to respond, but no voice came out of her mouth. She suddenly felt like there was no oxygen and she couldn't catch her breath. Her head spun as her eyelids got heavy. Maybe all the smoke was affecting her…Orihime tried to wave a hand in front of her face to get rid of the smoke.

"Hey, don't move!" The guy called once more. Orihime heard the sound of scraping metal, then suddenly bright sunlight flashed into her eyes. She quinted, blinded by the light temporarily before a shadow was casted over her. It was a man she didn't recognize in a trucker's hat. "My God! Are you okay? We're gonna try to get you out of here. We got your friend over here, okay? Don't move, we're gonna cut your seatbelt."

Orihime could barely understand what he was saying, but she understood that he had said something about Tatsuki. Unexpectedly, she felt four pairs of hands on her. She was lifted up and out of the vehicle carefully. They laid her on the cold grassy ground next to the ravine. She was still blinded by being out in the sunlight to recognize any faces.

"Tatsuki?" Orihime said, shaking her head lightly to get rid of the fog in her mind.

"She's right here, she's…she's not breathing. We're going to call an ambulance, don't worry!" The man said as he disappeared from her side. Orihime saw two shadows run away from her and back up the side of the road toward the highway. The air was cold and she could see her breath in front of her− small little puffs that looked like smoke, proof that she was alive. But where was Tatsuki? Orihime lifted her head a little so she could survey the area. Tatsuki lay on a snowier patch of the ground just a few feet away. Orihime wasn't sure where she got the strength to move, but something deep inside her felt compelled to check on Tatsuki. Orihime felt herself sit up and half crawl over to where Tatsuki laid.

"Tatsuki?" Orihime called as she approached her friend. Tatsuki didn't respond. Her body lay complete still. Orihime could see that the front part of Tatsuki's body was completely covered in blood. It was as if Tatsuki had spilled red paint all over herself. _Oh why the hell did they move her?_ Orihime thought angrily. She was slowly beginning to feel her head clear of the fog that had been created when the car landed.

"Tatsuki?" Orihime said once more. Again Tatsuki didn't move. Orihime reached over and gently touched Tatsuki cheek, though the action didn't stir her friend at all. Panic began to set in. "Oh my god, Tatsuki, please be alright," Orihime cried. She could feel the burn of tears as she went automatically into doctor mode. She checked all the vital signs in the exact same way she had been trained to do. It was difficult, because her right arm ached so much from being slammed into the car seat, but Orihime persisted. She checked Tatsuki's eyes: no pupil dilation. She checked Tatsuki pulse: no feel of a heartbeat. Orihime began to choke back sobs as she realized her friend was dead. She sat down next to Tatsuki and pulled half of the dead body into her arms.

"Tatsuki, oh god, Tatsuki! How could you leave me?" Orihime cried. Her head bowed forward over the body of her dead friend. Tatsuki's head and shoulders lay in Orihime's lap. Orihime didn't even mind the searing pain in her upper arm anymore. She could only feel the pain in her heart. Flashes of happy memories with Tatsuki flew through Orihime's mind as wet tears fell from her eyes. There was the memory of when they first had met, when Tatsuki had defended Orihime after she had been made fun of for the color of her hair. There was the memory of Tatsuki when Orihime had just gotten back from Soul Society. Tatsuki could sense that something was different about Orihime. Tatsuki knew Orihime that well. There was the memory of being separated from Tatsuki when Orihime was kidnapped and sent to Hueco Mundo, and how painful it had been to go through everything that happened there without her best friend. There were so many memories shared between them. Suddenly everything in the world seemed so small. Life was too short. They had barely spent a quarter of their lives together. How could Tatsuki be gone already? There wasn't enough time for them to grow old together. There wasn't enough time for them to become middle-aged women. There wouldn't be rocking chairs waiting for them on a porch on a cottage in some beautiful forest for when they became old women. They would never get to go on double dates with their husbands. Their children would never get to play together. Orihime's tears drift down on her cheek and splashed onto the bloodied denim of Tatsuki's jacket.

An orange glow began to form from the very spot where Orihime's tears had fallen. It was as if the sun had been hidden in Tatsuki's chest and a cloud had finally moved aside, letting the beams of light out. The orange glow grew larger and larger, until Orihime could feel its warm rays touching her face. The orange light overtook Orihime's entire sight, blinding her. She squinted, wanting to keep her eyes open to see what would happen. The orange light engulfed Tatsuki's and Orihime's entire bodies. Orihime's skin felt tingly and suddenly a lightness of breath overcame her. She hadn't realized how constricted her chest had felt until she could breathe again. Air filled her lungs. She felt like she had just woken up. Her body was full of energy again. The fog in her head disappeared completely. The ache in her upper right arm went away. Orihime felt more awake, more alive than she had ever felt before.

"Orihime?" A whisper came from below her. Orihime looked down to see Tatsuki's eyes fluttering. "What happened?"

The huge gash that had cut across Tatsuki's entire abdomen was suddenly gone. Her clothes were still bloodied but there seemed to be no wound, no source for where the blood could have come from. In the background, Orihime could hear the sound of sirens approaching.

"We…there…there was a car accident," Orihime managed, surprised that she even could speak.

"There was darkness," Tatsuki interrupted Orihime. "There was a darkness and then it was gone…" Tatsuki looked up at Orihime in amazement. "Did you save me Orihime?"

Realization dawned on Orihime. Of course she had saved them. She had had the ability to do so all along. She had saved that little girl in the emergency room, and now she had just saved Tatsuki from death. She had the power to do it all; it was inside her the entire time. She had doubted its existence. She believed her powers had left her, but they were still intact. Her powers came to her when she needed them the most.

"Yes. I believe I did," Orihime replied in a whisper. She wrapped her arms around herself. She had goosebumps up and down her arms. Her body felt awake and alert, but her psyche was still traumatized by what had just happened. She glanced back at her friend. Tatsuki looked stunned and amazed, but she did not seem quite as disturbed as Orihime felt.

"HEY! THE AMBULANCE IS HERE!" The trucker called from above the ravine. He stood by the side of the road where an ambulance had parked. The vehicle continued to loudly blast its sirens, and Orihime could barely hear what the man had even yelled. The man jumped down from the side of the road and carefully walked down the slanted ground. "Hey! What happened? Just a second ago, you were completely passed out!"

Tatsuki shook her head.

"I feel fine," Tatsuki said, shrugging as if nothing had happened.

"But…but…I pulled you from the car. You had a huge gash across you belly." The man rudely stared at the perfect skin underneath Tatsuki's torn t-shirt.

"Maybe you just thought you saw it," Orihime quickly jumped in.

"But…your arm, your arm looked like it had been dislocated when I pulled you from the car…" the man continued, completed fazed by what had happened. It was like nothing had happened to the two women. Orihime and Tatsuki merely stared back at the man.

"You can still take us to the hospital to check us out," Tatsuki pointed out. "But you needn't worry. My friend Orihime here just saved my life."

* * *

Ulquiorra had been wandering the streets for hours. Finally, he gave into the call of the bridge. He wasn't sure why he knew, but a part of him understood that there was something special about this bridge− something special about this city. It was only 4:30 PM, but it was already dark outside. He walked from Chad's bar all the way to the other end of the downtown district. Christmas lights and ribboned garland still decorated the streetlights. It was a surprisingly quiet night. The air was clear and crisp, and the stars were brilliant amongst the velvety black sky. It was as if the city's fake orange glow could not drown out the beauty of the night. It seemed there was not a single soul in the city, as if everyone had decided to go into hiding for the evening. Ulquiorra absorbed the silence. He adored it. For once, he could hear his own thoughts. His mind could work its way around the terrible memories that were slowly starting to come back to him. He was terrified of that bridge, and even more terrified of the water beneath it, but it was time to take on that fear.

"Ulqui!" A feminine voice called out. Ulquiorra startled. He had been staring at the sidewalk the entire time. Looking up, he saw Nel waving at him from across the street. She wore a camel-colored wool trench coat and an elegant blue scarf around her neck. The coat was long, and hid what she wore underneath, with the exception of her knee-high black boots. She had let her hair down, and it cascaded in glorious curls around her shoulders. Her lips were a soft pink and her cheeks were rosy from the cold. Ulquiorra crossed the street, moving quickly towards her.

"What are you doing out?" Ulquiorra asked politely. Nel hopped up to Ulquiorra like a bunny before pouncing on him. Her hug was tight and long, and Ulquiorra tried his best not to choke with disgust at the extended show of affection.

"This is the hotel I'm staying at, silly," Nel pointed upward at the glowing lights of the hotel.

"Oh," Ulquiorra managed.

"It's getting late. I heard there's a storm coming," Nel shared as she looked down at her gloved hands. She delicately pulled on the tip of each finger until she got the glove off her hand. She then turned her attention to her other hand and proceeded to do the same. "I think everyone's in hiding because they don't want to be outside when the storm hits."

"I see you are gradually building quite the winter clothes collection," Ulquiorra pointed out. He watched her take her gloves off in a painstakingly slow manner.

"Why thank you! I did do some shopping today," Nel grinned and batted her eyelashes. Her cheerful look disappeared immediately though as her face turned serious. "You so rarely compliment me. What's wrong?"

"It was merely an observation," Ulquiorra scowled.

"You're acting different. You're being nice to me. Did I do something wrong?" Nel inquired. She took a step closer and stared down at Ulquiorra. In her high-heeled boots, she was several inches taller than him.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. There's nothing wrong, period. Why must you assume everything involves you?" Ulquiorra muttered, trying his best not to roll his eyes.

"I'm not assuming. I know you, Ulquiorra. I know you better than you're willing to admit. Something's bothering you, I can tell."

"Nothing's bothering me," Ulquiorra said, shaking his head. He knew it was a mistake to stop by and have a short chat with her. Nothing with Nel was ever short and simple. She spun things until they were tangled webs of complications.

"You seem on edge," Nel observed. "Usually, you're detached, almost zen-like."

"Did you ever consider that if I am on edge, which I am not, that perhaps I am on edge because of the choice we are all facing?" Ulquiorra said through gritted teeth.

"That is a possibility," Nel shifted her stance. "Although, you seemed hardly bothered by it when Urahara revealed the truth, in fact, you seemed perfectly fine that night and morning after it all took place." Nel paused for a moment for drama's sake. "What's changed since then?"

"Nothing's changed."

"Orihime turned down your proposal didn't she?"

"That's none of your business," Ulquiorra ground out.

"It's not, huh?" Nel raised an eyebrow. "It's not, you're right. It's none of my business just like Emily was none of my business− none of _our_ business."

Ulquiorra shook his head with frustration. He let out an aggravated sigh and turned on his heel. He started to walk away, only to be followed by Nel.

"Why must you always bring that up?" Ulquiorra muttered.

"Because it needs to be addressed, because you can't just shut it into a closet and pretend it didn't happen. For God's sake, the woman murdered herself for you."

"She did nothing of the sort for me. Emily was a disturbed individual who needed help," Ulquiorra turned sharply. Nel almost ran directly into Ulquiorra if not for his hands that reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders. He firmly shoved her backward, giving himself some space.

"That's what Urahara and Soul Society want you to think. They don't want you to question what happened. They don't want you to feel guilty. But you should feel guilty, Ulquiorra. It was a life. It was her life. For all we know, she's a hollow haunting that bridge where you guys disposed of his body."

"WHY DOES THIS ALL MATTER NOW?" Ulquiorra growled loudly. His voice boomed out of him so suddenly that he surprised even himself.

"Because it matters for your relationship with Orihime," Nel said sternly.

"You SHUT UP!" Ulquiorra snapped, unable to stop himself. "You shut up about her! You don't get to talk about her. No, you don't even get to say her name! Do you hear me?"

Nel blinked, shocked at Ulquiorra's outburst. She stared at him with large hazel eyes, waiting for him to continue.

"You act as if I'm damaged, as if what happened with Emily changed me. It didn't do anything. It was terrible. It was a horrible night, perhaps the most horrible night I've experienced as a human so far, but I'm over it. I've moved on. I wish you would too."

Nel continued to say nothing. She pursed her lips, but otherwise remained silent. Without even intending to, Ulquiorra rambled on.

"You think I don't think about what happened that night? I think about it constantly. It was the greatest tragedy that ever happened…the way Emily died. Do you not think I'd change things if I could? I would do it in a heartbeat. I can't though; I know how to move on from things. You could learn a thing or two from that."

"You can't move on from things though, Ulqui," Nel whispered, shaking her head. "That's what makes us hollows− we were unable to move on from the things that caused our deaths. We carry them with us every day. They're a part of who we are."

"But I do carry it with me every day!" Ulquiorra argued.

"No, you don't. You've stashed it away, somehow. You think that starting over with Orihime will be different, but you're wrong. You think what happened with Emily was a tragedy? The greatest tragedy is waiting for you in your relationship with Orihime."

"You're the tragedy, Nel," Ulquiorra said with disgust. "You're so wrapped up in other people's problems. If only you could solve your own, you wouldn't need to go to Soul Society to find salvation. You'd be able to find peace right here on earth."

Tears formed around Nel's eyes. He had hurt her with his words, but he didn't care. Her words had caused a burning in his chest, a burning that wasn't going away. No, it was growing brighter and more painful by the second. He felt nauseous and tired.

"You know what? I was wrong," Ulquiorra started. "I don't wish that things had been different with Emily. I'm glad things happened the way they did. It did change me, but for the better. I am a better man now because of it. I know what love isn't, and with Orihime I know what love is."

"But something is holding you back, Ulquiorra…" Nel interjected.

"YES SOMETHING IS HOLDING ME BACK!" Ulquiorra shouted. "But it damn well isn't Emily."

"Well, what is it then?" Nel asked, exasperated.

"I DON'T KNOW!" Ulquiorra responded. Suddenly, he was out of breath. His heart was racing. Deep in his mind he knew…he knew that he was getting closer to the truth. Nel's baiting and nagging was dragging it out of him. "All I know is that it has something to do with that damn bridge in this damn town!"

His confession silenced her. She stared at him, with pitying eyes, and it disgusted him even more.

"I don't need your pity. And I don't need your help either," Ulquiorra said, turning around and walking away from her.

"Ulqui−!"

"I can figure this out on my own, Nel!" Ulquiorra shouted back, relieved that she was not following him. He stalked away, each footstep getting louder and louder as he found himself quickening his speed. That feeling in his chest hadn't gotten better. It felt like a fire that was burning out of control. He was sick and exhausted. His mind tired from all the thinking he had been doing. Nel's comments didn't help. They only made him more desperate to find his answers. He knew that the clock was ticking, there wasn't much time left for him to save his relationship with Orihime. Deep inside, he understood that if he didn't figure out how he had died, he would never get to be with Orihime. He would have to choose to go with Urahara, Grimmjow, and Nnoitra. He had lived a tortured life for so long; he couldn't go on living a lie. Suddenly, Ulquiorra found himself running. He was running at full speed down the sidewalk and toward the bridge. He didn't know what exactly he would do when he got there, but he knew that he had to take a leap of faith. It was the only way he'd find out what happened to him.

Streetlamps, concrete buildings, cars: they all blurred past him as he ran toward the bridge. In the darkness, he could see its form appearing: dark tall lines, curving over the river. He could hear the sound of the rushing water. It made his stomach feel even sicker. He could feel his fear of the water forming inside him. It trickled down his neck like a spider, crawling across his skin. He was out of breath, breathing fast and shallow. His eyes burned from the cold air that was flying into his face. He arrived at the bridge. He didn't slow down. Without hesitating, he ran straight to the very center of the bridge. There wasn't a car in sight. The streetlights were so dim; it might as well have been pitch black.

Ulquiorra stared down at the rushing waters. Only the bridge's iron barrier stood between him and the river. His stomach became more nauseated and it felt like his entire skin was crawling by now. He had to do it. He knew it was the only way. Before he could stop himself, Ulquiorra reached up on the bridge's barrier and climbed onto its ledge. Faintly, in the background he could hear screaming. Someone was screaming his name. He glanced back and saw Nel, Nnoitra, Grimmjow, and Starrk running towards him. _Nel must have alerted them,_ Ulquiorra thought to himself, _all the more reason to get this done._ Before the rest of the Espada could reach him, Ulquiorra pushed himself off the ledge and jumped down into water.

* * *

**Thanks for all the encouragement guys! It looks like my story didn't get deleted :) let's keep crossing our fingers. As you can tell this story is wrapping up! Only a couple more chapters...my oh my, what's going to happen? :)**

**Songs and such are on my livejournal: mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com. Don't forget to leave a review! **


	25. Chapter 25: The Past III

**Hello, welcome to the shortest chapter ever! I worked with this chapter for a really long time, adding sections and moving them around. Finally I decided that it would only work on its own, so that's why this chapter is ridiculously short. No worries though, the next chapter will come quickly and will be much longer. Hope you enjoy!**

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**Chapter 25: The Past III**

_Once there was a little boy who lived in a little house in a big city. The little boy lived with his mother; it was just the two of them, but they were both happy. From the boy's point of view, this was all that mattered. Every day, the little boy would get ready for school with his mother's help. His mother would wake him up with a gentle kiss, help him brush his teeth, make breakfast for him, and pick out his outfits. Then his mother would hold his hand and walk him to school. They were lucky enough that they only lived two blocks away. _

_The little boy loved school. He had a lot of friends who he'd play kickball with during recess and a teacher who was super smart and nice. The little boy loved lunch hour. He got to open his lunch box and see what his mommy had packed for him. It was always a surprise, but his mommy always knew what he liked and didn't like. One thing was true about the little boy's life, he loved his mother. _

_One day, the little boy was playing with his blocks in the living room when he heard his mother crying in the kitchen. He wasn't sure why, but the sound of her crying made him feel anxious. He felt afraid but he didn't know why. Setting his blocks aside, the little boy made his way into the kitchen._

"_Why are you crying, mommy?" The boy asked. His mother looked at him with sad green eyes and wiped away her tears. _

"_Oh sweetie, it's nothing bad," she whispered as she reached down to pick him up. She lifted him onto her lap and hugged him tightly. "There's something I want to tell you."_

"_Huh?"_

"_You're going to become a big brother!" His mother said, a smile breaking through her tears. She took a big sigh as she collected herself. "We're going to have a new member in our family, but nothing's going to change. I will love you just the same." The little boy buried his face in his mother's shoulder and relaxed. _

_In the following months, not a lot changed in the little boy's life. He still went to school each day, and on the weekends he'd play with his mother. She took him to the zoo, the museum of dinosaurs, and the library. One weekend, they even took an extra-long car ride to visit his grandma. _

_Shortly after though, the little boy began to notice a few changes in their routines. His mother got tired really easily and didn't have enough energy for playing. She began to take naps more often, and would get sick easily from almost every kind of food. He began to see her belly getting bigger. His mother would put his hand on her belly and explain that there was a little sister growing inside her. The little boy didn't understand this, but he went along with it anyways. These changes were small and didn't make that much of a difference in the little boy's world, but somewhere in the back of his head he felt a shift in their world. Something was about to change and things would never ever be the same again._

_Finally, the big day came when his sister arrived. Grandma had come to stay with them for several days. The boy didn't understand why though since they did not explain that his mother would be gone for several days giving birth to the baby. There was a lot of yelling in the kitchen, but the little boy paid no attention to it. He sat right in front of the television watching his favorite show. Then there were loud sirens that sounded like fire trucks, even though there were no fire trucks outside. The front door flew open and several adults rushed in and rushed out. Everything happened so fast. The little boy didn't even get to see his mother get taken away. _

"_Come with me, honnie!" His grandma said as she took his hand. They went to a big grey building that grandma said was a hospital. The building had bright lights and smelled funny. There were a lot of adults who seemed scary to the little boy for some strange reason. He huddled close to his grandma, and asked where his mommy was. Grandma said his mother was busy having the baby._

_They waited and waited, and soon the little boy became bored and anxious. There was a small play room where other children played, but the toys were boring and the boy wanted to see his mother. Grandma soon came to take him home and told him mommy needed another day before the baby was arrived. Time went by so slowly. It was another day before the boy got to see his mom again. _

_She came in through the front door with a bundle in her arms. The boy noticed that she was pale and that she had dark circles underneath her eyes. But she smiled at him anyways, showing off her perfect white teeth. _

"_Hello my sweet," she greeted gently. _

"_Mommy!" He shouted jumping up._

"_Shhhh…your baby sister is sleeping," his mother explained. "Do you want to come see her?" His mother walked over to the living room couch and sat down. She shifted the baby in her arms carefully before she peeled away a bit of the blankets so the boy could see the little pink face of his new baby sister. It was then that the boy knew that everything was changing. _

"_I'm so exhausted; can you take her for a while?" His mother asked his grandmother. "I need to lie down." She passed the baby to his grandma. The boy didn't notice the slightest tone of disinterest in his mother voice. It didn't make sense to him that she brushed aside his hand when he reached out to her. She disappeared into the bedroom without another word. Grandma only stayed for a couple more days before she went back home._

_In the following days, everything seemed to fall apart. The baby cried all the time, and mommy didn't seem inclined to do anything about it. Instead, mommy slept and slept. She seemed sick and irritable. She cried too. Sometimes it seemed she cried as much as the baby. Every time the little boy asked his mother if she wanted to play she said, "No, not right now." _

_The boy knew there was something wrong with his mother, but he didn't have the capacity to truly understand what was going on. Mommy spent far too much time staring listlessly out the window, ignoring the baby and her young son. She found herself staring at knives and cars driving by, unable to stop herself from fantasizing about terrible things. She knew they were horrific things to think about, but the thoughts kept coming. She couldn't bring herself to shower. The littlest routines felt like monumental tasks. Her feet felt like cement. Her hands felt like clay. _

_The boy went hungry and soon he grew angry. He realized he needed to make himself a sandwich if he was hungry. He clumsily gathered the necessary ingredients for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He wasn't allowed to touch knives, so he used a spoon to scoop out the peanut butter and jelly before flopping it down on the bread. He made a mess, but he didn't care because it tasted so good. He got to lick the jelly off his fingers and he got to put extra peanut butter on his sandwich (which mommy would never have let him do). _

_Soon the boy realized that he hadn't gone to school in a while. He tugged at his mother's skirt and said, "Mommy, I want to go to school." His mother turned and walked away from him with a sigh. "Not now," she murmured as she wandered away into the bedroom once more. Two minutes later, the boy heard his mommy crying again. He had given up trying to console her. At first he had tried hugs, offered his favorite bear, and even tried his best to hush the baby with a lullaby. But nothing seemed to make mommy better. The telephone would ring and ring, but mommy wouldn't pick up the phone. The boy wondered where his grandma went because he was sure his grandma could fix all of the problems. _

_He grew irritable with the baby crying all the time. He threw his stuffed animals at the baby, thinking that might stop the crying but it only made the crying worse. Sometimes his mom would come pick up the baby while it cried, but she would only hold her for a few minutes before putting the baby down again and walking away. The boy had half his sandwich left and offered it to the baby through the bars of the crib, but the baby just laid there crying. The boy grew sad, anxious, and scared. There seemed to be nothing he could do to make things better. _

_The boy's mother felt herself falling deeper and deeper into her depression. It became painful to look at her daughter, and her son did nothing but irritate her. All she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and sleep for fifty years. She would walk over to her daughter's crib and her hands would turn into fists. She would physically shake with anger sometimes because of her daughter's crying. She dreamed of a thousand ways to make the crying stop. Water. Shaking. Dropping. _

_One night, in a fit of anger and screams, the solution came to her. The boy's mother bundled her daughter up in blankets and took her son's hand. She led them to the car, where she put her daughter carefully into the baby car seat, before she sat her son down and buckled his seatbelt. It was dark outside and raining. The car was put in drive, and zoomed out of the driveway and into the streets of the city. The neon lights of the city glowed like warning signs. _

"_Where are we going mommy?" The boy asked. His mother didn't reply. She gripped the steering wheel tightly, her eyes frenzied and bloodshot as she stared at the wet pavement in front of the car. She could hear quiet voices speaking in her ear, whispering what she knew she had to do. She swerved the car accidentally, and another car jerked off the road to avoid her. The sound of loud honking noises could be heard as the mother's car zipped away from the site of the accident. The car gained speed as it raced toward the bridge connecting the west half of the city to the east half of the city. There was construction going on, and half of the lane was blocked off with barricades. The mother slammed on her brakes and the car went screeching into the orange and white barricades. The sudden movement scared the little boy, as he huddled in his seat. He covered his eyes with his hands and screamed. _

_The car skidded across the wet pavement and hit the bridge's side barriers. Metal was crushed before the car tipped horizontally and few into the air. It was mere seconds. The car flew over the bridge's barrier and down into the river with the loud splash. The boy barely had time to think about what was going on before the car hit the icy cold water. _

_Everything went black. There was no time for the boy to remember how the water slowly filled up the car or how long it took for the car to sink to the bottom of the river. He would not remember how his mother struggled to get out of the car, but failed to do so. He would not remember what it was like to drown beside his baby sister. He would never hear about how people nearby who saw the incident jumped into the water to save his life. He would never hear about how they failed because of how strong the currents were. He would never hear that he was on the television news the next morning, nor would he hear all the horrible things people would say about his mother. He would not remember anything as his soul left his little fragile body and disappeared into the night sky._

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**Thanks for reading guys! The song for this chapter is called "the sinking man" by Of Monsters and Men. Great song, make sure to check it out. Don't forget to leave a review :) **


	26. Chapter 26: The Third Forgiveness

**Chapter 26: The Third Forgiveness**

Ulquiorra awoke to the feel of the warm sun on his entire body. It felt like he was at the beach, and his skin was soaking up every single ray. His eyes fluttered open and fresh oxygen burst into his lungs. Through an orange veil he could see Orihime staring down at him with large grey eyes, glazed over with tears.

"Orihime…" His voice wavered as he reached up to touch her. His figures met the orange barrier, which felt like glass. He felt a deep disappointment that he could not feel her warm skin. He needed to know that she was alive, that the terrible nightmare that happened to him wasn't real…that it didn't really happen that way. He sat up in the bed.

"Ulquiorra!" She gasped. The orange light went away and Ulquiorra was immediately embraced tightly. "How could you do that! How could you do that to me, to us!" She cried, burying her face in his shoulder. He felt a little shock still. His arms were slow to hug her back.

"I…had to," he managed to say as he looked down at her head of auburn hair. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. "I'm alright though…" He said tightening his grip on her. He wasn't sure if this was true, but he knew he needed to say it to reassure her.

"Yes, yes. Grimmjow and Nnoitra fished you out of the river. They said you were practically blue by the time they got you to the hospital," Orihime said as she pulled back far enough so she could look him in the eyes. "What were you thinking?" She whispered.

"I had to do it…I had to find out how I died, Orihime," Ulquiorra explained gently. He reached down and took her hands in his. "It was the only way."

"The only way was to try to kill yourself? Do you know that I practically had to bring you back from the dead?" Orihime rambled.

"Did I really die?" He frowned.

"No, but you were close…but that's not the point!" She snapped, almost getting angry with him. He stared at her with vibrant green eyes. Her healing had revived him to the point where he practically sparkled with life. She could tell he felt a little bad, but he remained largely unapologetic about his actions. Silence hung between them as Orihime struggled between concern and outrage. Finally, concern won.

"Well…" she began carefully, "Did you find out?"

His green eyes darkened.

"I found out more than I ever wanted to know," he whispered.

"Do you want to tell me?" She asked.

"No," he responded immediately. He turned his head away from her and stared at the white wall of the hospital room. "I can't talk about it to anyone right now."

"I nearly died today too you know…" Orihime confessed, biting the bottom of her lip. His head jerked back, as his alarmed green eyes sought hers.

"What?" He stammered.

"Tatsuki and I got in a car accident. She died and I brought her back," Orihime explained.

"You almost died today?" He asked as he shifted closer to her. His arms came around her in a sudden hug.

"No, no…I could have, I was actually fine. It was Tatsuki who was harmed in the accident, oh she's okay now but…" Orihime's voice trailed off.

"But what? I'm so glad you're okay," he said. He reached down and grabbed her hands. "I knew you needed to get rid of that car."

"It wasn't my car's fault!"

Ulquiorra gave Orihime an incredulous look.

"This is not the point," Orihime said shaking her head. He brought her hands up and kissed them.

"What is the point," he said gently.

"Ulquiorra, there's something I need to say to you…" Orihime began. He stared at her intently, waiting for her to go on. His gaze made her suddenly nervous. Her voice felt raw as she began to explain.

"Today changed everything. On the ambulance ride here with Tatsuki, I thought of everything that's happened these past few weeks with us. I thought about the way we met, how important you are to me, how I would feel if something ever happened to you…I couldn't stop thinking about it until I got to the hospital. And then I found out what did happen to you and it made me think even more about how I feel." She paused and looked up at him. He nodded, indicating she could go on.

"Ulquiorra…," her throat tightened. She could feel tears coming on. She tightened her grip on his hands. "I think about everything that's happened, all the magnificent things you've done with your life, and I can't help but think about how wonderful it would be to be your wife, to be there beside you for every award you win, every paper you write." She laughed a little when she realized she was crying. "Even when you're not working, I want to be beside you. I want to pick out furniture with you, and move in with you, and have babies with you. I can't believe I'm crying while I'm saying this."

"Shhh…," he leaned forward and wrapped her in his arms.

"I want to be there with you, Ulquiorra, every step of the way," Orihime explained, wiping away a tear.

"Yes," Ulquiorra said simply, and rested his head on top of hers. "I want to be there with you too."

"You do?" Orihime sniffled.

"Yes," he said half smiling. Part of him was still saddened and affected by the revelations he had had when he had been in the river. "We can be together. But first, there's something I must do. Now that I've discovered the secret of my past, I have to put it to rest."

* * *

Nel sat in her bathtub staring straight ahead at the tiled wall. Her curly hair was piled on top of her head in a messy bun. Her makeup had been completely washed off. She wore none of her usual armor. Even her nail polish had been removed. She was bare as she could be. She had spent the past half hour in the bathtub, staring at the tiled walls. Her head felt heavy and her nose was stuffy from all the crying she had done.

It had been one hell of a night. After the fight she had had with Ulquiorra, she chased him down to the river only to see him jump from the bridge. Grimmjow and Nnoitra had just exited the hotel and heard her screaming from a few blocks away. When they arrived at the scene, Nel explained what happened with hysterical crying. Both men jumped in the river immediately, which only made Nel cry even more. Wasn't it enough to possibly lose Ulquiorra, but then to lose Grimmjow and Nnoitra as well? How stupid were all these men to think they could fight freezing river currents? In the end, the men were able to get Ulquiorra out of the river and onto the snow banks. Eight hospital hours later, Nel finally made it back to her hotel. She had been soaking in her bath for a long time, but her bones still felt frozen from the night's events.

Suddenly she heard a click, letting her know that someone had walked into her hotel room.

She didn't even flinch when the bathroom door opened and Starrk appeared.

"Your doors are unlocked," he pointed out as he walked in.

Nel shrugged a shoulder but otherwise didn't move. She refused to look at him, her eyes opaque and distant. Starrk sighed as he walked over to the bathtub and kneeled beside it. He pulled back the sleeves of his red and blue plaid shirt. Leisurely, he dipped his hand into the lukewarm water and flicked his fingers at the remaining bubbles.

"How are you doing?" He finally asked. His voice was low and reassuring, but Nel didn't want to show any emotion. She was tired of showing emotion only to receive nothing in return.

"How do you think I'm doing?" She replied bitterly. She shifted in the water, creating ripples and splashes. Without even meaning to, she managed to get the sleeve of Starrk's shirt wet. It occurred to her that she was completely naked and that he could see practically everything since the bubbles were nearly gone, but it didn't matter. Not when he had seen it all before anyways. Not when it wouldn't move him to love her more. Still, she felt vulnerable.

Starrk sighed loudly as he pulled his hand out of the water. Starrk noticed that the tip of her nose was pink, as if she had been crying. He wasn't sure why, but this bothered him somehow.

"Well, tell me this then. How's Ulquiorra doing?"

"He's fine now. Orihime used her powers on him," Nel explained dully.

"Well that's a surprise."

"Apparently not, she had used her powers previously in the day to save that toothpick friend of yours. They were in a car accident by the way."

"Who was in a car accident?"

"Tatsuki and Orihime," Nel said, as if it were obvious. She rolled her eyes and sniffed.

"Well…" Starrk said, taken aback by the news. "I guess now everyone is okay then?"

"I suppose so," Nel murmured as she lifted on of her feet from the water. She wiggled her toes and stared at how wrinkled she was getting.

"Nel…I've made my decision," Starrk began gently. He reached over and dipped his hand into the water. He pulled out her hand and held it tightly. His gaze was fixed on her lovely face, but she turned away from him to stare at the opposite wall.

"No, I don't want to hear it," she squeaked, her voice already tight with tears.

"Nel," he began, pulling her hand up to his lips so he could kiss her knuckles. He wanted to be as careful about this as possibly. He knew that she was growing more fragile by the second. "Nel, I've decided to go."

"No," she said at the exact time, as if she could deny what was coming out of his mouth with her one word. She shook her head and tried to pull her hand away from him. This was what she expected him to do, but this was not what she wanted to hear. What was she supposed to do without Grimmjow, Nnoitra, and Starrk? How could she live her life? At the same time she didn't want to give up her human life. She loved being a human. She loved food, clothes, music, parties... Now she had the ultimate decision to make.

"There's still Ulquiorra…" Starrk offered. Nel shook her head again.

"No. It doesn't matter what he decides anymore. It won't affect us," Nel muttered bitterly. They were being torn apart. Soul Society would separate them and they'd never find each other again. Nel felt her heart breaking. The pain inside her chest felt unbearable. The pressure in her sternum was overwhelming. Suddenly she was hyperventilating, barely able to breathe. She heaved and crumbled up into a little ball in the bathtub.

Starrk frantically tried to pull Nel out of the water. He had to fight her instinct to tighten up her entire body, but in the end it was easy because she weighed so little. He lifted her up into his arms and carried her out of the bathroom.

"Slow your breathing, you can do this, Nel," Starrk said quietly. He laid her down on the bed and rested a hand on her belly. "Just breathe like me…in…and out…" She followed his direction and slowly she began to regain control of her breathing. He climbed into the bed and lay down beside her, spooning her from behind.

"I know this sounds impossible, but everything is going to be alright," he said firmly. He wasn't sure when he gained the conviction but Ulquiorra's actions had affected him. If a man could be so desperate to find peace that he would jump off a bridge and endanger his life, then why wouldn't Starrk take the opportunity to find peace in another way? The restlessness in his heart had stilled. He felt calm. There was righteousness again.

Nel heard Starrk's voice as if it were miles away. It echoed throughout her mind, but somehow she was unable to catch it. Her throat felt raw and sore from all the crying, but she managed to say something.

"You think I should go as well?" Nel whispered.

"I think you would find peace, Nel," Starrk answered honestly. "It's your choice, but I think we could be happy in Soul Society."

"But we would be separated…"

"We'd find each other again," Starrk said, rubbing her arms.

* * *

It was a bright morning the next day when Ichigo stepped out of his house…correction, former house. His arms were overwhelmed with three boxes stacked on top of one another. The boxes teetered and tilted in his arms, threatening to tumble onto the concrete of the driveway. He shuffled his feet, trying hard to maintain his balance as he slowly made his way toward his grey Toyota Corolla. It was an old car, with rusty spots in several areas, but it had been one of the most dependable things in Ichigo's life…more dependable than his marriage even.

"Yo Ichigo!" Chad called out as he walked toward the orange haired man.

"Gah!" Ichigo yelled as one of the boxes tumbled from its stacked position and fell onto the driveway. The box split open as various knick knacks bounced out. "Chad!" Ichigo accused. He set down the remaining two boxes and surveyed the clutter.

"Oh, sorry…" Chad said sheepishly as he bent down and began to help Ichigo pick up the items.

"Oh lord!" Ichigo sighed as he squatted down and picked up an old baseball. "How did I accumulate so much crap, Chad? I'm never going to fit all my stuff into my car…"

"Rukia is making you move out?!" Chad said with alarm.

"So it seems…" Ichigo responded dejectedly. He gathered the loose objects that had fallen out of the box and threw them into another open box that had been set aside.

"I can't imagine that you've exhausted all your options."

"What do you suggest I do? I've done everything I can to show Rukia how sorry I am," Ichigo scowled. He opened the door to his car and picked up one of the boxes. Carefully, he laid the box onto the backseat of the car. "I've gotten flowers for her, done my best to take care of Hisaki at every turn, begged on hands and knees…we've talked for hours and hours, shouted even. What more can I do?"

"Sorry, I did not mean to imply that you have not done your best…" Chad said apologetically. He helped Ichigo pick up another box and set it inside the car. Ichigo wiped a drop of sweat from his forehead. The sun was out and Ichigo was only wearing a sweater, but the manual labor was making him feel hot and uncomfortable.

"I can't live with the way things are right now. There's so much hate between us right now."

"Well the hate is mostly on her side, correct?" Chad pointed out.

"True, I don't really want to point fingers. You know, it's not like I don't already feel like a total prick." Ichigo picked up an old stuffed animal that was lying on top of one of the boxes. It was a prize he had won for Rukia at a local fair. She had thrown it at him and told him to take it back. The memory hurt him more than necessary. Of all the things that had been said between them, it was silly that a stupid stuffed animal could make his heart ache so much.

"I am no expert, but I would say that these things take time…"

"Preaching to the choir, buddy," Ichigo said with a shrug.

"Where are you going to go?" Chad leaned against the car and stuffed his hands into his pockets.

"I'm going to crash at my dad's for a while. I'm hoping that Rukia will reconsider once I'm gone."

"I imagine so, taking care of an infant by oneself cannot be an easy task."

"Oh, she won't be alone. Trust me. She's got an army of people to help her out," Ichigo scoffed.

"Who? By all accounts, Orihime and Tatsuki are pretty occupied at the moment," Chad said, frowning.

"Byakuya."

"Oh. I see."

"Yeah, exactly, a one man army," Ichigo said, picking up the stuffed animal again and throwing it like a basketball at the hoop attached to the top of the garage. The stuffed animal bounced off the rim and fell back onto the driveway with a plop!

"What does he know about the situation?" Chad asked curiously.

"Nothing except that Rukia and I are having a huge fight and that she needs extra help with the baby. She's also got Renji too."

"Oh, yes that's right. I had forgotten about him," Chad murmured.

"He's been pretty occupied lately. He's been busy visiting Tatsuki."

"Is that so?" Chad quirked an eyebrow. He walked over to the stuffed animal lying on the sidewalk and picked it up. He examined the bunny shaped stuffed animal. It was dirtied from being on the ground, but beyond the dirt one of its ears was starting to come off.

"Seems they might be reconciling," Ichigo mused. "At least some of us are reconciling…"

Chad watched his friend with sympathetic eyes. It was difficult for him to see his friend suffering like this. There was nothing he could do about it except support his friend the best way he could. Chad thought about the last time he felt helpless about what to say to his friend. It was right before all the action had taken place at the Kurosaki party. Chad had chosen that time to explain his relationship with Karin to Ichigo. Although it had been a conversation that Chad had not been looking forward to, he left feeling lighter and more confident in his friendship with Ichigo. It felt good to know that Ichigo trusted in their friendship and believed that Chad had nothing but the best intentions when it came to Karin. Perhaps now would be the best time to test that theory.

Chad cleared his throat.

"Speaking of reconciling…" Chad began. He nervously shifted his stance.

"Huh?" Ichigo replied, half distracted by his own thoughts.

"I spoke to Karin yesterday."

"Yeah?" Ichigo said, not giving the statement a second thought. He returned his main attention to the boxes, shifting objects to the side as he began to look for an item he believed had been missing.

"We ran into each other at the hospital. I was going to visit Ulquiorra and Tatsuki and Karin had just gotten done visiting Tatsuki."

"Well that sounds nice," Ichigo commented.

"Yeah, we got to talking…and well…" Chad paused, waiting to regain Ichigo's attention. When his orange haired friend didn't turn around, Chad cleared his throat once more.

"You got to talking?" Ichigo prompted as he turned around from the boxes. "Damn it, I swore I had left a few of my favorite ties in here. Maybe they made their way into another box."

"Ichigo, there's something I'd like to ask you."

"Yeah, Chad?"

"I'd like to ask Karin to marry me."

"You'd like to….wwwhaattt?" Ichigo's eyes practically leapt from their sockets. He shook his head several times and stared hard at his best friend.

"Karin and I got to talking, and I realized that no matter how different our world views are, I care about her more than words can say."

"But…last time we talked, you were sure you guys wouldn't be able to reconcile your differences," Ichigo said, confused. He scratched the top of his head and sighed. "Dear lord, what is the world coming to?"

"I know this seems out of the blue, but with everything that's happened so far…with Tatsuki and Orihime and the car accident, and then Ulquiorra jumping off the bridge," Chad paused, taking a moment to clear his mind and concentrate on what he really wanted to say. "…what I'm saying is that life is too precious. I don't want to spend the next ten years circling Karin and waiting for things to be perfect. Things will never be perfect between us, but that's the beauty of relationships. Despite their imperfections, they're more necessary than the air we breathe."

Ichigo blinked, dumbfounded. He was at a complete loss for words. He had just become comfortable with the idea that Chad and Karin had dated behind his back, but now they were to become engaged? The news, although joyous and not frightening like the other events that had occurred, shook Ichigo's very core. His little sister was no longer little any more. That made him…old. He was old now. An adult, fast approaching middle-age. What did this mean for his life? What did this mean for his relationship with his wife? If Renji and Tatsuki could reconcile, and Karin and Chad could reconcile, what about he and Rukia? Could they possibly set aside their differences for the sake of a brighter tomorrow?

"Wow, Chad…I don't know what to say…" Ichigo began slowly. "Congratulations, I suppose…"

"You know I can't move forward with this without your approval," Chad stated plainly.

"Isn't it tradition for you to ask the father for his blessing and not the brother?"

"Yes, but I value our friendship. I want us to be cool before I approach your father."

"Wait, so Karin doesn't know yet?" Ichigo said with a yelp. What a surprise this was going to be for his little sister! Part of Ichigo could wait to see the glitter in his sister's eyes when Chad proposed.

"No, I was going to go pick out a ring," Chad said. He walked over to the car and set the stuffed bunny on one of the boxes. "I was hoping you would come with me."

"What do I know about picking out rings," Ichigo joked, laughter escaping his mouth. He reached over and patted his friend on the back. "Wow, man…you and Karin. I'm happy for you both."

"Really?"

"Yes, couldn't be happier actually," Ichigo grinned. "I'm so glad to hear some good news. Not that Tatsuki, Orihime, and Ulquiorra being okay isn't good news, but you know what I mean."

"Yes, I do," Chad said, a slow smile overcoming his face. Once again, a great weight was lifted off his shoulders. Part of him always knew that his friendship with Ichigo would always triumph, yet there still were moments of doubt that occurred like when he decided he wanted to marry Karin.

"You'll be my best man?" Chad asked. "That is…if she says yes."

"Of course she'll say yes!" Ichigo laughed. "And of course I'll be your best man."

"Thank you."

"Seriously, this calls for a round of beers− my treat!" Ichigo called out.

* * *

"I wonder what they're laughing about," Rukia murmured suspiciously as she peeked out her kitchen window. Through the blinds she could see Ichigo heartily thumping Chad on the back, both men laughing joyously about something. Rukia had just finished washing the dishes. She had been drying a dish when she heard the men's laughter coming in from the driveway.

"Perhaps you should go out and ask them," Byakuya advised.

"No, I wouldn't want to do that," Rukia said quickly. She set aside the dried dish with a deep sigh. "It's probably nothing important anyways," she mumbled with a deep sigh.

Byakuya examined his little sister-in-law. Rukia could be quite difficult to read at times. Over the years, the two had become closer but there still remained a huge gap of silence between them. They didn't openly share their emotions with each other, nor did they pry into each other's business. When Rukia asked that Byakuya come by and help out with Hisaki, Byakuya was stunned but more than willing to fulfill the request. He knew how difficult it was for Rukia to ask for him. It had become apparent, in the limited time he had been in their household, that there was more going on than Rukia had let on. The tension between the married couple was palpable. It was so intense, that Byakuya was taken by surprise− and it was rare that Byakuya was surprised about anything. Although he had never been fond of the orange haired fellow, Byakuya did not like to see his sister-in-law in distress.

"I suppose I could always ask Chad later," Rukia commented as she reached for another wet plate. She ran a dish cloth along the rim of the plate as she stared listlessly at the floor of her kitchen.

"Or you could ask your husband," Byakuya pointed out. He crossed his arms over his chest and stood straight as a rod in the doorway of the kitchen.

"I don't want to do that," Rukia dismissed as she placed the plate next to the other dry ones. Byakuya paused a moment before he asked what was truly on his mind.

"What do you wish to accomplish by perpetuating this silence between you and Kurosaki?"

Rukia blinked, stunned by the straight-forward question.

"I…I suppose I'm not trying to accomplish anything…" she stammered.

"Precisely, nothing is being accomplished," Byakuya stated. He said nothing more, as if the rest of his lecture did not need to be said. Rukia blinked, not quite following what her brother-in-law was implying. Sometimes his unspoken words could be frustrating, especially when he simply expected people to understand him.

"Brother, I don't…" Rukia began, feeling exasperated.

"I have faced loss in my time," Byakuya began, cutting Rukia off. "A great deal of loss…" he paused for dramatic effect.

Rukia blinked twice, waiting for her brother-in-law to finish speaking.

"Things that are not accomplishing anything need not to be done in the first place," Byakuya stated. Rukia was taken aback. It was so rare that Byakuya ever referenced the loss of his wife, Rukia's sister Hisana. All of a sudden to it was very evident what Byakuya was trying to say.

"What would you do if you were me?"

"If I had the opportunity to speak to her again," Byakuya said stoically. "I would speak a million words."

It was easy for her brother-in-law to say such things, but every time Rukia looked at Ichigo she had nothing to say. Her anger burned so bright for what he had done. He had betrayed her in the worst way possible. The only thing she eventually wanted was distance. It was why she was kicking him out of the house. She thought distance would help heal her marriage. But perhaps she had been wrong? Byakuya's words burned in her mind. _He would speak a million words._ Dramatic words for a man who was often known for his simplicity.

Rukia glanced outside once more through the window blinds. Ichigo was getting in his car with Chad. He started the engine and began to pull out of the driveway. He was leaving. Really leaving. Panic crept into her chest. _What if he never came back?_

"Wait!" Rukia called out despite the fact that she knew he could not hear her. Suddenly she was scurrying out of the kitchen, out the door, and onto the driveway. She waved her hands back and forth, trying to get their attention. "Wait!" She shouted.

* * *

**Thank you for reading. I originally meant for this chapter to be longer, but I thought it better to have a 5,000 word chapter than a 13,000 word chapter. I have some comments on the chapter at my live journal (mmagnoliastorm dot livejournal dot com). See you at the next chapter!**


	27. Chapter 27: The Redemption

**Welcome to the last chapter! Thank you all for your patience. The theme song for this chapter is "Soldier" by Ingrid Michaelson. It's been a song that has been in my head ever since I started this story. I hope you enjoy the song and this final chapter.**

* * *

**Chapter 27: The Redemption**

The snow crunched loudly underneath Ulquiorra's shoes as he made his way toward the tombstone. It was yet another sunny day. The sky was a vivid blue and birds chirped loudly. The trees were bare and damp from the melted snow. There were signs of life everywhere in the stillness of the cemetery. None of these mundane details mattered to Ulquiorra though. He was so focused that he hardly noticed what kind of day it was. It could have been raining or snowing, sleeting or windy. It had taken so much work for him to find this tombstone that it could have been any sort of day and Ulquiorra still would not have noticed. In his arms, he carried a bouquet of white roses.

Beside him Orihime walked quietly. She wore a black military-styled coat over a grey sweater with black leggings. Her feet were safe inside a pair of knee high brown boots. She shivered from the cold, but otherwise marched onward. In the sunlight, her auburn hair turned into a bright orange. She wore sunglasses that hid her gaze.

"I visit this place often," Orihime said quietly. Her melodious voice broke Ulquiorra's intense concentration.

"Oh?" He said with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes, my brother is near here," she said.

"I see," he said quickly. "I'm sorry…I didn't know."

"No, it's quite okay. I…just, wanted to tell you I guess," Orihime said with a short dry laugh.

He nodded.

They walked in silence for a while.

"Did I mention how beautiful you look today?" Ulquiorra finally mentioned casually.

"No you didn't," Orihime replied, surprised. She was quiet for a moment, blushing from his comment. It was silly, but his compliments still moved her. Despite how close they had grown, she still felt shy around him sometimes. Their budding love made her excited to hear anything he had to say about how she looked.

"I like the way you braided your hair."

"Haha, I did it really quick this morning. I'm surprised you noticed," she added as an after thought

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why's that?"

"Well today is an important day. You spent hours looking over those old newspaper clippings in order to find out the location of your mother's tombstone. I would think your mind would be preoccupied with that."

"You misunderstand me," he said calmly.

"Huh?"

"This visit to her burial plot is merely a formality. In my heart, I have already forgiven her. How could I not? She was ill, very severely ill. I could never hold it against her," Ulquiorra explained.

"But there was a reason why your hollow soul was so haunted. If you didn't need to forgive her…"

"No, no, no…" he cut in gently. "Of course my hollow soul was haunted by what happened, but once I found out the truth of my death it was easy for me. I'm an adult now; I'm capable of reason and forgiveness. As a child though, how could a child ever understand?"

She nodded.

"I understand," Orihime said as she eyed the black ravens that flew overhead. "So this is much simpler than I had imagined."

"This is just the last thing I wanted to do. I want to visit her grave and let her know that I've forgiven her."

"That makes sense," she nodded. "How much further is it?"

"It should be right over there," Ulquiorra said, pointing toward a large barren oak tree. Orihime followed his gaze but didn't see a gravestone. As they approached she managed to make out a small flat piece of stone, no bigger than a sheet of paper. The stone marker was made of a marbled brown rock, smooth toward the center and rough around the edges. The lettering on the stone was a simple cursive font. They both stood before the headstone quietly. Somewhere nearby a bird sang loudly.

"I don't know what I was expecting," Ulquiorra said, breaking the silence. He bent over and gently placed the bouquet of flowers onto the grave. "Perhaps I expected something to glow or a bright light to shine from the heavens."

Orihime glanced at her fiancé sympathetically.

"Maybe you should talk to her," she suggested.

"I do not know what to say," he murmured. "I suppose 'I forgive you' is enough?"

"I think it's enough that you came," she said, reaching over and looping her arm around his. She leaned against his shoulder, savoring the strength of his presence. He merely blinked as he continued to stare at the gravestone.

"The newspaper article suggested that she suffered from postpartum depression," he said flatly. Orihime nodded in response, but otherwise didn't speak.

"She was only 25 years old," he added.

"That's very young," Orihime commented. She thought about how close in age she would have been to the young mother. It felt strange comparing herself to Ulquiorra's mom. Orihime wondered if they would have been friends in some other universe.

"There so little I know about her," Ulquiorra said. Orihime heard the longing in Ulquiorra voice. It was barely there, but she could sense that he was feeling some form of regret.

"When you blacked out, did you get a sense for who she was?" Orihime asked.

"I felt a warmth. I knew I loved her more than anything, but what child doesn't love his mother? She was the center of my world," Ulquiorra explained. "I wish…"

Orihime waited patiently for Ulquiorra to finish his sentence. Several moments passed and he did not say a thing.

"You wish…?" Orihime prompted gently.

"I wish I could have done something."

"But you were a child!"

"I know, but still…I wonder about the other people in her life. Did she not have more people who could look out for her? Was she all alone?"

"Well you said you remembered your grandma, right?"

"Yes, but that was the only person. And I remembered that she lived far away. My mother was alone," Ulquiorra said, shaking his head.

"She had you…" Orihime pressed her head against his shoulder. She glanced up at him and saw that he was lost in thought. His clear green eyes were glazed over. "What are you thinking?" She asked.

"I was just thinking of my life before you," Ulquiorra said, turning his attention to Orihime. He looked down at her, the dazed look he had before disappearing. "Before you entered my life I spent so much of my time alone. Yes, I had my work and colleagues but I felt truly alone. I thought that was the way my life was going to be…the way my life _should_ be."

"I never want you to feel that way again," Orihime stated, grabbing the lapels of Ulquiorra's coat and shaking him gently.

"I don't want to," Ulquiorra said. He turned to face her. He smiled faintly as he reached over and pushed a lock of Orihime's hair out of her face. "I don't want to end up like my mother. I've realized that I don't have to be alone. I have you. I know now that I don't want to go to Soul Society with the rest of the Espada. I've found the peace I've been looking for."

"Oh, Ulquiorra," Orihime whispered. She leaned forward and buried her face in his chest. Beneath her cheek she could feel his lean muscles. She could hear his heartbeat, strong and clear. He was alive and he was hers to cherish.

Suddenly, a bright light flashed from the tombstone. Rays of yellow and white blinded Ulquiorra and Orihime for a moment. It was only mere seconds, but the effect was enough to make the young couple step back away from the stone. When the light went away, Orihime and Ulquiorra both immediately noticed the roses. They had changed colors from white to yellow. Ulquiorra was rendered speechless as he knelt down and hesitantly touched the petals.

"Was this… a sign?" Orihime asked as she also knelt down beside Ulquiorra.

"I suppose it was…" he responded as he regarded the grave marker. It looked ordinary now, simply a polished piece of stone with his mother's name written on it. All signs of the glowing light had disappeared. "What does the yellow mean?"

"I…think it means she's happy for you," Orihime responded, gazing at the flowers. "Yellow usually means happiness after all."

"I see," Ulquiorra said solemnly. He reached over and took Orihime's hand into his. "I could not ask for more from her then." He stared at the piece of stone with her name on it. "Thank you," he said aloud. Orihime knew he was speaking to his mother and not her. Finally, it was over. The past was put to rest at last.

* * *

Tatsuki sat at one of the wooden tables in Chad's bar. Her fingers played idly with the warm mug of tea in front of her. She was waiting for Renji to arrive. He had text messaged her about meeting up and talking. She had hesitated at first, unsure of how to respond to him. Part of her needed to speak to him as well, but another part of her was scared…no, terrified for some reason. What reason did she have for being scared though? What could he say?

The door to the bar opened and Renji walked in. He lifted his sunglasses off his face and tucked them onto the top of his head. His eyes scanned the room before he found Tatsuki sitting in the corner. Casually, he raised a hand and waved hello to her before walking over to where she sat. He moved with an ease that hid any emotion he might have been feeling. _How can he be so confident?_ Tatsuki thought to herself. She realized she had slid forward and was now sitting on the very edge of her seat. Today Renji wore blue jeans that were frayed at the bottom and a red t-shirt underneath a khaki jacket. A blue and white striped scarf was wrapped around his neck carelessly. His dreadlocks were tied back, accentuating the sharp curve of his cheekbones.

"Yo," Renji greeted. He flashed a brief smile before pulling out the chair opposite from Tatsuki. "Thanks for coming," he said calmly as he sat down.

"No problem," Tatsuki murmured. She turned the mug in her hands around and around, fumbling with it as a way of distracting herself from fully giving him her attention.

"I haven't seen you in a while…" he began carefully, his eyes scanning her lean face.

"So?" Tatsuki said curtly.

"So it's good to see you," Renji muttered and then sighed loudly. He glanced around the near-empty bar. There was no one behind the bar and only one other patron in the room. It made sense since it was early in the day, but it still felt odd to see the room so vacant. "Thank you for seeing me. I didn't think you'd come."

"Sure thing," Tatsuki said. Her eyes stayed lowered, gazing at her tea.

"You're not going to make this easy on me are you?"

"I think I'd like it if we just cut to the point," Tatsuki responded.

"Here's the point. We can't go on like this. We've friends in common. It's…It's not like we can avoid each other forever. We're going to run into each other at events. If we can't move past this, we're going to have to deal with awkwardness every time we see each other."

"So?"

"For the sake of our friends, I think we owe it to them to try to find some common ground," Renji explained. His patience was already wearing thin. There were moments when he really admired her stubbornness, but today was not one of those days. "Ichigo and Rukia have worked their problems out; I don't understand why we can't."

"Ichigo and Rukia have a marriage they needed to save. They have a child to keep in mind. What we had…" Tatsuki drifted off and looked away from him. Her eyes scanned the room as if she might find answers hidden in the corners of the bar.

"What we had?" Renji prompted.

"I don't even know what we had!" Tatsuki snapped loudly. She sighed, clearly irritated. "What are we even trying to save?"

He narrowed his eyes at her, hurt burned through his chest. Was it so obvious to him but so unclear to her?

"Our friendship," he grounded out. His gaze pierced her, full of emotion. "Our friendship meant something to me." Without even realizing, Renji had reached down and touched his chest where his heart beat loudly.

Tatsuki stared at Renji, unable to respond. Her breath quickened as frustration clawed inside of her. There were so many emotions running through her, she couldn't keep up! She couldn't name the emotions, she couldn't handle them. They filled her up. She was practically choking on them.

"Was that all it was to you? _Friendship_?" Tatsuki managed to whisper. Her eyes burned with unfamiliar tears. She wasn't that type of woman, the kind to cry at the drop of a hat. Tears weren't her thing, but here she was on the brink of losing it. She was crying and it was in front of the man she least wanted to be crying in front of.

"Shit," Renji swore underneath his breath. He had backed himself into a corner with that one. "I didn't mean it like that."

"When everything was falling apart, I needed you by my side," Tatsuki spat out.

"Rukia needed me even more! It was her baby that was kidnapped! We thought the threat to her family was real," Renji scrambled to find the right words. He took a deep breath before going on the offensive. "You betrayed ME. You were the one who went behind my back and conspired with Ichigo."

"I had no choice!" Tatsuki exclaimed. How could she explain everything to him? How could she tell him that she felt Ichigo's plan had been inherently wrong but hadn't been able to find the strength to deny him. "Ichigo is my friend. My true friend. I've known him since we were children."

"You've known me for a long time too, Tatsuki," Renji pointed out. "But that is the point here, isn't it? It's about you and Ichigo. It will always be Ichigo first for you. You've never let him go. You'll never get over the fact that he chose Rukia over you."

"What?!" Tatsuki's head reared back in shock. She could barely believe her ears. He could not possibly be making these accusations. "What bullshit are you spouting? Where…where in the world did you get this idea that I wanted Ichigo?"

"Am I really wrong here?" He asked, half being sarcastic and half hoping she would deny his claim.

"You couldn't be more wrong," Tatsuki snapped. Her eyes were brightly with anger. "How dare you accuse me of that, I love Rukia like a sister."

"So you've never had feelings for Ichigo like that? You've never wanted him in that way?"

"NO! God, that statement couldn't be further from the truth!" Tatsuki stated firmly. "Where could you even get that idea?"

"I don't know…" Renji said quietly, for some reason he felt calmer now. "I guess there were always rumors…about how close you and Ichigo were."

"Ichigo is like a brother to me," Tatsuki explained.

"Okay…I'll take your word for it," Renji backed off sheepishly. His accusation had been made based on pure emotion. Looking back on it, Renji realized he could have been more careful.

"What about Rukia?" Tatsuki asked, snapping Renji out of his thoughts.

"Huh? What about Rukia?"

"It's no secret that you've carried a torch for Rukia," Tatsuki said. She looked away from him as her cheeks turned pink.

"There was a time when I did," Renji admitted gently. "But that's no longer."

"Really? It just went away like that?"

"Time does that…" Renji murmured. "I saw a long time ago how perfect Ichigo and Rukia are for one another. I could never get in the way of that."

"But she'll always be the one for you. If Ichigo and Rukia were to ever break up, you'd want to be there for Rukia."

"That's just not true. Those days are over. My feelings for her are as platonic as yours are for Ichigo."

Tatsuki looked at Renji with wary eyes. For some reason she wasn't entirely convinced. Perhaps insecurity would always eat away at her.

"I do feel something for you, Tatsuki," Renji admitted. He pursed his lips as he sought out the perfect words. "Something…more than friendship."

"But you don't know what that is…?" Tatsuki said dejectedly. What was she hoping for? Did she really want the big grand confession of his feelings? Tatsuki decided silently to herself that she wouldn't be able to handle it at this point. She cursed herself for asking him to explain further.

"I don't know what that is," he confessed. "But I want to find out."

"I don't know if I'm ready," Tatsuki said shaking her head.

"I'll be here when you are," he said gently. His eyes darkened as he reached over for her hand. "I'm not asking for tomorrow, just today."

"I guess that's okay…" Tatsuki replied, letting him take her hand in his.

* * *

"Nothing like a good ol' party," Ichigo said as he sipped from the flimsy paper cup. The punch was once again spiked with vodka, but he didn't mind. He was amongst friends and it was a celebration…well sort of.

"Yeah, nothing like a double engagement-goodbye party," Uryuu agreed dryly as he took a swig of his beer.

"Any excuse for a party," Chad said cheerfully. Uryuu and Ichigo stared at Chad in awe. Normally the tall brawny man was solemn and silent. However this evening, Chad was chatty and jolly. _Must be all that love_, Uryuu thought to himself. It was no secret that since Chad and Karin had gotten engaged, both had been acting differently. Everyone could agree that Chad and Karin were normally considered "serious" individuals. However, the celebration of their engagement brought the young lovers optimism and joy.

"Yuzu must've been thrilled to have the chance to cater for another party," Uryuu commented.

"Yeah she's taking this new business of hers seriously. I think it will be a real success," Ichigo said, beaming proudly.

"The decorations are excellent," Chad pointed out. Green and white streamers and balloons decorated Chad's bar. Tea candles in green pots sat at every table and lit up the room. The overall effect was a warm glow that went well with the festivities.

"It was nice that they combined the engagement parties with the goodbye party for the Espada," Uryuu said as he watched Nel and Nnoitra from across the room. The green-haired model stood straight as a rod with her arms crossed across her chest. She was dressed in a lovely red dress that hugged her hips and showed off her long legs.

"Ahhh, eyeing Nel huh? Maybe you should go over and flirt a little," Ichigo teased. Ichigo hoped that Uryuu would find love somewhere, especially after Uryuu's father's death.

"Shut up," Uryuu quipped. "I'm merely curious as to how they're doing. After all, today is their last day before they head to Soul Society."

"It's definitely got to be a big deal for them," Chad nodded. "It's nice they get this last chance to say goodbye to everyone."

"I'm surprised Nnoitra and Grimmjow are here. Wouldn't think of them as wanting to socialize before leaving earth," Ichigo commented as he continued to sip his punch.

"I'm pretty sure Nel forced them to come," Chad responded with an amused look on his face.

"She does have that effect on men, doesn't she?" Uryuu said with a short laugh.

"Well, she couldn't convince Ulquiorra to stay," Ichigo pointed out.

"Well, obviously," Uryuu remarked.

"No, I think there really was a point when all the Espada didn't know which way Ulquiorra would go," Chad said. "Orihime was beside herself trying to track Ulquiorra down just to get answers from him."

"And how do you know all this?" Uryuu asked with a raised eyebrow.

"A little bird told me," Chad said with a shrug. Uryuu shook his head with amusement as his eyes scanned the room. From the corner of his eye, a patch of dark hair caught his attention.

"Who's that?" Uryuu asked quickly.

"Oh, that's Captain Nemu Kurotsuchi," Ichigo explained.

"I know who she is," Uryuu snapped. "I meant…what is she doing here?"

"Apparently she's here to watch over the procedure tomorrow. You know, for getting the Espada to Soul Society. No easy feat, I'm sure…considering they're using the new hōgyoku. Mayuri can't be here or something like that," Chad said.

"Isn't Urahara going to take care of things?" Uryuu asked.

"Who knows…it takes a village," Ichigo shrugged, glancing around the room with boredom.

"Why is she still doing Mayuri's dirty work if she's a Captain now?" Uryuu inquired.

"You're asking the wrong people," Ichigo said, shaking his head. "What's with the pert interest anyways?" He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows at the tall slender man.

"Nothing….she's just…" Uryuu paused, unable to tear his eyes away from her. Her hair wasn't quite purple, but it was dark enough black that it looked plum-colored. She wore a green kimono-styled dress that cinched her tiny waist and hugged the curves of her hips. The deep V of her dress also showed a great deal of cleavage, which Uryuu appreciatively took notice of. Her eyes, though, were her most striking feature. They were a cool blue-green, almost turquoise. They were probably the most remarkable eyes Uryuu had ever seen.

"…Yes?" Ichigo prompted with a grin.

"…Strange," Uryuu completed his sentence.

"Well that's nothing new," Chad grunted.

"I'm going to go refill my drink," Uryuu said faintly as he began to wander away from the two men.

"He's not done with his beer yet…" Chad noticed.

"Noooo kidding," Ichigo said with a laugh as he watched Uryuu move in the same direction as Nemu.

* * *

Uryuu slid the glass door open and stepped outside onto the Kurosaki's back porch. She stood with her back to him as she surveyed the backyard. She wore no coat but yet didn't shiver.

"It's cold out here," he commented as he closed the door behind him.

"I do not feel the cold," she responded. Her voice was melodious yet robotic sounding at the same time. It was an awkward mix that was strangely enchanting.

"Give it some time," Uryuu warned as he stepped next to her. He offered her one of the beers he had brought out.

"Oh on, I don't drink," she took a step back from him in refusal.

"Have you tried before?" Uryuu asked with a raised eyebrow. He set down the unopened bottle of beer.

"N-no," Nemu admitted.

"Why don't you drink then?"

"I simply do not wish to," she said politely. He nodded.

"I'm Uryuu," he said, offering her a hand.

"I know," she responded, staring at his hand for a moment. Remembering common courtesy practices was hard for her. These things hadn't been programmed into her system, though her artificial intelligence did allow for her to learn new things. It was still difficult for her to respond immediately to human prompts.

"You're Nemu," he added.

"I am," she replied, finally remembering to give him her hand in exchange. His hand was warm and his grip was strong. It was a soothing experience.

"Congratulations on becoming Captain," Uryuu smiled at her. "How's it been?"

Nemu hesitated, unsure of how to proceed. Should she encourage conversation with this man or should she go back inside? He made her nervous for some unknown reason, but going back inside with all those people wasn't a very inviting idea. Socializing made her nervous. She should have never come down so early. Coming tomorrow morning would have sufficed.

"It is a lot of responsibility…" she admitted reluctantly. He popped open the top of the beer bottle and took a long swig of the drink. Her eyes followed the curve of his neck as he swallowed.

"It must be nice to have some independence though," Uryuu commented after he finished gulping his drink down.

"I'm not sure…" she shook her head. Uryuu narrowed his eyes as he studied her carefully. She was stiff, but that was to be expected. It had been some time since he had last seen her, but she had always acted rather skittish around people. Or perhaps it was just his imagination.

"But to get out from underneath Mayuri's leadership," Uryuu prompted.

"Mayuri is my father. I will always have the greatest respect for him," she stated robotically.

"Yes, I'm sure," Uryuu murmured underneath his breath. He took another swig of his beer as he watched the sun set over the top of the backyard fence. The sky was turning a bright orange, with hazy clouds hovering over the glow.

"You are friends with Orihime…correctly?" Nemu asked hesitantly.

"I am," Uryuu answered, with a surprised tone. She was actually participating in conversation? How interesting.

"Could you explain to me why the green-eyed one…Ulquiorra, why he has not chosen to go forward with the ritual tomorrow?"

"Ahhh, I think I'm not the right person to explain it to you. I fear it's far too complicated," Uryuu said regretfully.

"But could you try?" She implored. Uryuu regarded her closely and noticed the true confusion in her eyes.

"Well…it's because they're in love," Uryuu said simply.

"Orihime and Ulquiorra," Nemu stated.

"Yes."

"I've heard much about this 'love'" Nemu nodded. "I would very much like to understand further."

Uryuu sighed loudly. He set his beer bottle on top of the porch railing as he contemplated what Nemu was asking. The only way for him to truly describe love was to think back on his own experiences…and that would mean considering the love he had felt for Orihime. The very idea of trying to do that made him wince.

"Well…when you're in love, you would do anything for that other person," Uryuu began.

"Anything? Even if it means losing the chance for redemption?"

"See that's interesting. You can understand redemption but you can't understand love?"

"I understand the cycle of life. All hollows need to be cleansed. They need to leave behind the life they once had in exchange for chance to go to Soul Society."

"I suppose you have a point."

"Have you felt love?" Nemu asked abruptly. Uryuu blinked. What a straightforward woman.

"I…have," Uryuu admitted.

"Would you stay behind as well?"

"Without a doubt," Uryuu said without hesitation.

"Because you would get something in return?" Nemu asked, trying to understand.

"No. It's not like that. Love is pure. Love is about giving and not asking for anything in return."

Nemu's eyes widened as that piece of information sunk in. It seemed like the world's most revolutionary idea to her.

"Love is a feeling, an emotion. There are many kinds of love," Uryuu added quickly, wanting to further develop the idea. "There's platonic love and then romantic love. Platonic love is the kind of love that occurs between friends, like between Orihime and me. I love her very much, but like a sister."

"She's not your sister though."

"No, she is not," Uryuu agreed. "Platonic love exists between family members and friends."

"And romantic love?"

"Romantic love is what Orihime and Ulquiorra have. It's between two lovers."

"Love between lovers…"

"I know, it's confusing," Uryuu shook his head. It was beginning to sound convoluted even to himself. "Lovers have a sexual relationship in addition to just feeling love."

"Ah, I've heard much about sex," Nemu nodded quickly. "So Ulquiorra and Orihime have feelings and emotions, but also sex."

"Probably," Uryuu muttered bitterly.

"What did you say?"

"Yes, they do," Uryuu winced as he said it.

"I think I am beginning to understand," Nemu said slowly. "Thank you for explaining it to me. Nobody has actually ever taken the time," she said with a blush. For some reason, the pink color in her cheeks gave him a rush of blood to the head.

"No problem," Uryuu said looking away quickly. He took a deep gulp of his beer. "We should go inside. It's cold out here."

"I said I do not get cold…"

"_I'm_ getting cold," Uryuu corrected with a slight chuckle. He stepped back and slid the glass door open.

* * *

"What could they possibly be talking about?" Orihime gushed as she watched the shadow of Uryuu and Nemu from the back of the kitchen. From her position, she couldn't see Uryuu and Nemu's faces, but she could see the two's gestures and body language.

"Who knows," Tatsuki said, shaking her head.

"I am sensing something between them…" Rukia nodded with narrowed eyes.

"What, from all the way over here?" Tatsuki said incredulously.

"Yes, I'm very intuitive," Rukia said smugly. She took a bite of a sugar cookie that she had just taken from one of the trays on the kitchen counter. The cookies were arranged artfully by color, starting from dark green and going to white. The effect was a gradient of colorful cookies that were both decorative and delicious.

"They're _just_ having a conversation, guys!" Tatsuki rolled her eyes. "Not everyone is head over heels in _love_."

"You're in love too, Tatsuki," Orihime pointed out. "You two just haven't admitted it yet."

Tatsuki blushed. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said indignantly.

"We're all in love," Rukia smiled. She was not the type to gush typically, but since she had reunited with her husband, the world was now being seen through rose-colored glasses.

"I'm just glad Renji and I aren't fighting anymore," Tatsuki admitted with a small smile.

"I'm so happy for you guys!" Orihime said. She reached over and grabbed a cookie from the trays. She took a bite of the cookie and munched on it cheerfully.

"_I'm_ happy for you guys!" Tatsuki said, changing the topic. She hated discussing her and Renji's relationship. It was so special to her that it felt like a private matter, something she wanted to keep for herself and Renji. "A wedding for my best friend! Please do tell us everything."

"Yes, yes! I know you just arrived at this party, but I've been dying for you to show up so I can pester you with all the questions I have," Rukia said.

Orihime grinned from ear to ear. Her cheeks turned pink from all the attention. Ever since Ulquiorra had settled his past and all his issues with his mother, the couple had become free to start planning their wedding.

"Geeze, guys. Let me catch my breath first," Orihime giggled.

"Did you set a date? Or do you have any idea?"

"This coming summer," Orihime answered. She couldn't stop smiling as she imagined her future wedding. "We won't have a specific date yet until we visit some of the venues we're interested in but we're thinking maybe late August?"

"That's a great time, the summer's cooling off but it's still beautiful out," Rukia nodded eagerly.

"We're going to be sending out save-the-dates soon," Orihime beamed. "We've already started looking at designs for the postcards."

"Wow, you guys are moving fast," Tatsuki said with amazement.

"Well there isn't much time! Some of these venues get booked way in advance. Plus, Ulquiorra is very particular about design. He wants all the graphics on the save-the-date and invitation to be perfect, even down to finding the perfect font!"

"You're going to have to get everything custom-made then," Rukia advised.

"I'm afraid so," Orihime nodded solemnly. "We're going to have to be careful though. We don't have all the money in the world, though we both have a good-sized savings we can spend. But we can't go crazy spending all our money on invitations."

"Weddings are so expensive!" Tatsuki moaned. "When I get married, it's going to be Vegas, baby!"

"Haha, I can totally picture that," Orihime grinned. "We've already started looking at ribbons that we want to use for the save-the-dates and the invitations."

"What are the colors you're going to be using?" Rukia asked.

"Yellow and grey."

"That's very trendy right now," Rukia agreed.

"I kind of want a vintage feel to the wedding."

"That's very you," Tatsuki said with a smile. She could already envision what the wedding would look like.

"Oh, but we went to a nearby craft store and I couldn't find the perfect ribbon I want. None of the ribbons are the perfect shade of yellow, some of them are too mustard-looking, while others seem to have a little bit of green in them- which I don't particularly care for. And then there's the width. Some of the ribbons are too skinny and others too wide. Ugh! Ulquiorra said there's a ribbon store in New York City that has walls and walls of ribbons. It's supposedly in the garment district. But I feel a little silly traveling all the way to New York just to buy ribbon. But then again, maybe it would be worth it…" Orihime chattered on. Rukia and Tatsuki exchanged looks as their orange-haired friend spoke breathlessly.

"Slow down, Orihime," Tatsuki said, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You've got time to figure all this out."

"I know…" Orihime said sheepishly. "At least I'm going to have the most perfect bridesmaids to help me out!" She cheered as she dropped her cookie and wrapped her arms around her two friends.

"Ack!" Both Rukia and Tatsuki said as Orihime practically wrestled them.

"It's going to be an amazing wedding!" Orihime cheered.

* * *

"I would like to ask for your forgiveness," Ulquiorra stated formally as he approached Nel.

"What?!" She said abruptly. The shorter man cleared his throat and looked away from her for a moment before glancing back at her.

"I know this is not…easy for you," he explained. "Your decision…that is, to go with Starrk, Nnoitra and Grimmjow."

"It's not easy for me because you're staying," Nel said, her voice filled with regret.

"You know I have no choice in that. This is where I belong now," he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants.

"With her?" Nel said. She nodded her head in the direction of the loud voices coming from the kitchen.

"Yes, her," Ulquiorra said with gritted teeth. It was undeniable that the women in the kitchen were starting to sound ridiculous with their screeching.

"Ulquiorra, we all belong together," Nel reasoned. "You should be coming with us."

He shook his head.

"No, in this you're wrong," he said. "I have made my choice and you must accept it."

"I have no choice but to accept it at this point," she shook her head ruefully. Nel sighed loudly and fiddled with the glass of champagne that she held in her hands. "Well congratulations, I suppose."

"Thank you," Ulquiorra said with genuine care.

"You know, this wasn't just about you," Nel explained. "I love this life." One of her hands gestured around them. "I love everything about this human life."

"Then why are you going?" Ulquiorra asked with confusion.

"Because I can't be left behind," she said. She had sad eyes as she regarded him. "I can't live without Starrk and Nnoitra."

"And I can't live without Orihime," Ulquiorra made his point.

"I know, I know!" Nel said. She looked across the room to where Grimmjow stood talking to Nnoitra. "I only hope that we will all be happy in Soul Society."

"I think you'll all find peace," Ulquiorra replied.

"And you? Promise me that you've found peace, Ulquiorra," Nel asked. Ulquiorra thought for a moment about when he visited his mother's grave. In his mind, he could envision the white flowers turning yellow.

"Yes, I have found peace."

* * *

The next day, Orihime and all of her friends gathered in the basement of Chad's bar. It had been completely renovated by Urahara to look like the middle of a desert. The ceiling seemed endlessly high. It was so blue that it truly looked like the sky. Somewhere there was a source of light that felt like the sun was shining down on them. Beneath their feet were piles and piles of sand. The room seemed infinite: A desert that went on and on forever.

"Is this your new training ground?" Ichigo asked as he walked along.

"Why yes! How do you like it?" Urahara responded. He tipped his hat back, his shadowy eyes gleaming.

"It's a little….sandy," Rukia responded, noting that her red shoes were already filled with sand.

"I can change that with a press of my remote," Urahara removed the remote control from his pocket and showed it to them. "Of course, I won't right now, but you see? We could change the weather, the climate, and I've even added in a feature that would allow me to change the way the room smells. I would demonstrate right now, but that would ruin everything that's been set up for today."

"That's quite alright. I have a feeling we'll eventually get to see what you mean someday," Uryuu said dryly.

"Personally, I can't wait to start working out in this gym," Renji commented enthusiastically.

"I might have some uses for your help, Renji…" Urahara began deviously.

"What do you have in mind, old man?" Renji scowled. Their conversation was interrupted by Orihime.

"Look, there's everyone!" Orihime pointed out. As they walked over a mound of sand, they saw the Espada standing in the valley. Ulquiorra, Nel, Nnoitra, Grimmjow and Starrk were all gathered together. A large metal square frame stood behind the Espada. The frame itself must have been at least twenty feet high and twenty feet wide. The hōgyoku sat at the top of the frame. The luminescent orb was a strange blue-green color, and though it looked like it was sitting on the frame itself, it actually floated on air. Electrical currents buzzed and snapped around it, creating a lighting effect that lit up the area periodically.

"Wow, that thing looks incredible," Chad commented, his eyes scanning the contraption.

"Thank you," Urahara said, eyeing his piece of work. "I'll be the first to admit it…this was one of the hardest projects I've ever worked on."

"Really? It looks so simple," Ichigo said. Rukia slapped Ichigo on the shoulder and scowled at him. "Ack! What I mean is…wow, that's…that's some work you've done, Urahara."

"Thank you, Ichigo," Urahara replied gracefully. "It wasn't all me though."

"Speaking of which…look, Uryuu, it's Nemu," Tatsuki said with a grin. Nemu stood next to the frame, waiting patiently for the crew to arrive. She was dressed in dark simple clothes: a black turtleneck shirt and black fitted pants. Her face was expressionless, her hands folded in front of her.

"So?" Uryuu responded with annoyance. It irritated him that his friends had taken notice of his interest in the strange woman.

"Hi everyone!" Orihime called out, ignoring the bickering between her friends. She waved a hand in greeting as they approached. Only Ulquiorra seemed to acknowledge that they had arrived.

"Alright, let's get this over with now that everyone is here," Grimmjow snapped. His hands were shoved in his pockets as he tapped his toe impatiently.

"I don't even know why we needed to wait for them to arrive," Nnoitra said irritably.

"We wanted to say good-bye," Orihime explained as she walked up to her fiancé and hugged him.

"Wasn't that the point of going to that party Nel dragged us to?" Nnoitra countered.

"Are you still bitter about that?" Nel snapped. Clearly, she was not in a good mood.

"Whatever. How's this going to work, old man?" Grimmjow ignored Nnoitra's comment and turned his attention to Urahara.

"Ah! Well it's quite simple actually," Urahara said as he stepped up to the frame. "The lovely Nemu is going to flip that switch over there."

"Yes," Nemu replied. She reached over and pulled a lever.

"And we should be in business…" Urahara said as the electrical currents that had been surrounding the orb suddenly grew large and crackling. The whole frame began to shake. A gust of wind blew at them from the center of the frame. Then, a dark black portal opened within the metal frame. Purple and black wisps of clouds swirled within the portal. It whistled and howled, sucking in air and sand. The hōgyoku began to glow even brighter, the blue-green colors disappearing completely as a blinding white light took over.

"All you have to do is step in!" Urahara said, raising his voice so it could be heard over the sound of the wind.

"All we have to do is step in," Nel whispered, her eyes fixed on the dark portal.

"Nel," Starrk stepped up to her and gently touched her shoulder. "Are you ready?"

She looked up at him with sad eyes.

"Yes, yes I am," she said, her voice barely audible.

"I don't understand," Tatsuki turned to Rukia. She spoke only loud enough for Rukia to hear. "Why are they making her go if she doesn't want to?"

"She wants to," Rukia explained. "You can want to move on but be sad about what you'll be missing."

"Nel," Orihime said as she stepped forward toward the tall woman. "I…I want you to know that I'm glad to have met you. And…I wish only the best for you in the next life."

Nel held Orihime's earnest gaze for a second before reaching out and taking one of Orihime's hands in hers.

"And I…wish only the best for you and Ulquiorra," Nel said honestly.

"Thank you," Orihime said with a smile.

"We'll all miss you," Rukia said on behalf of her friends. "Every single one of you." Chad, Renji Uryuu grunted and nodded in agreement. Ichigo cleared his throat. He knew that as a leader amongst his friends, it was important for him to say the formal good-byes. Ichigo took a step forward and extended his hand to Grimmjow.

"It was good to see you again," Ichigo said. Grimmjow glanced down at Ichigo's hand before taking it in his. "We wish you the best."

"Same," he murmured as he shook Ichigo's hand. Ichigo turned to offer the same hand to Nnoitra, but the tall man turned around to face the portal.

"Ah…see ya, Nnoitra," Ichigo offered awkwardly before turning to Starrk.

"Starrk," Ichigo said, extending his hand.

"Ichigo," Starrk said, shaking Ichigo's hand.

"Okay, this thing isn't going to stay open all day!" Urahara called out. He nervously checked his wrist for a watch that didn't exist.

"Alright, let's go," Grimmjow stated. The four Espada turned around and took a few steps toward the portal.

"Wait!" Nel called out as she turned around to face Orihime and her friends. "I have something I want to say before we go."

"What is it Nel?" Starrk asked, confused.

"I just want to say…" She began with a big sigh. "I know I haven't been a human as long as all of you have, and I know that I haven't had the same life that you've had either. I didn't grow up in a family or go to school as a child. My time as a human has been very short, too short actually. There's a lot more I wanted to do with this human life that I won't get a chance to do. But you guys get to do it all. You get to get married, and have careers, and have babies, and live long lives until you're old and grey. I hope you don't take advantage of that. I know I'm stating facts that you already know. I'm being cheesy and ridiculously emotional." Nel wiped a tear from her eye.

"I want to say this now before I have to go. I have to say that I'm so glad to see that everyone has made up, especially you guys- Ichigo and Rukia…and you too Renji and Tatsuki. And I'm so very happy you're engaged, Chad. Orihime and Ulquiorra, I couldn't be happier for you too. Uryuu, I know I've barely spoken to you but I've heard enough to know that I'm glad that you've found peace with your father. I know that's weird of me to bring up, but there it is. I've only been in your lives for a short while. I've had only a peek into your lives. I just want to say that what I've seen is incredible. The way you guys support one another and love one another is inspiring. I think that's why I wanted so badly to succeed as a human. I wanted your lives. I wanted us, the Espada, to become a close-knit group like you guys have become. Unfortunately that didn't happen, but I kept hoping it would. I thought that with time it would happen. I just thought you should know how much I envy what you have and I hope you appreciate it. Don't take a single day for granted….Anyways, that's all I have to say. Thank you all for showing me what true friendship looks like." Nel took a deep and shaky breath. Starrk reached over and took her hand in his.

Everyone was quiet for several seconds. The only sound was the whirring of the black portal.

"Thank you, Nel," Orihime finally broke the silence. "Thank you for you kind words. We won't forget them."

Nel nodded in response before she turned around to face the portal once more.

"Good-bye everyone!" Orihime called out as the four Espada began to walk into the portal. The purple and black wisps of clouds grew large and ominous. The whirring sound grew louder as gusts of wind picked up. Sand blew everywhere, obscuring Orihime's view of the disappearing Espada. Finally, the dark clouds engulfed the bodies of the Espada.

Nel, Starrk, Nnoitra, and Grimmjow disappeared.

The black portal closed.

The winds died down.

The clouds of sand cleared.

Orihime shivered as she stepped closer to Ulquiorra. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. She looked up at him.

"Do you think they'll be happy?" Orihime asked.

"Yes, I do," he said quietly.

"Do you think we'll be happy?"

"I know we will," he said, bending over and kissing her forehead.

_The End_

* * *

**Thank you for coming on this journey with me! It has been more than a two-years since I started this story. I can't believe how long the story got (I never intended for the story to be so big)! I genuinely hope everyone has enjoyed it.**

**But hmm...what next?**

**Well, I might write some very short drabbles of Orihime and Ulquiorra wedding planning...I've got some fun ideas for that.**

**BUT! One of the reasons I delayed in writing the ending to this story is because I started another Ulquihime story! That's right! It's called "For the Love of a Princess." I will tell you that it's an AU story that's set in a fantasy world. It's going to be completely different from this story. I hope to find you guys there. All the best!**

**-M**


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